Compare towns
Worcester vs Reading vs Millbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Worcester | Reading | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
25,612 |
13,961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
| Reading and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Reading and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,406 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Reading | Millbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | Reading Memorial High | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.