Compare towns
Worcester vs Stow vs New Bedford
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%).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
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 | Stow | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
7,165Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Stow and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,338Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Nashoba | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | South High Community | None in town | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 13.5Lowest |
| 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.