What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Worcester	Springfield
People
Population	207,055Highest	154,749Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Highest 15% below MA	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA
	Worcester and Springfield 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%	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Highest MA: 17.9%	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Worcester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	7.5%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kHighest 33% below MA	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA	$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Highest 21% below MA	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Springfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.6%Lowest MA: 10%	25.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 17% below MA	20 minLowest 31% below MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#276 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Springfield
High school in town	South High Community	Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	12.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.