What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has the most kids (19.6% under 18).

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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	Thompson
People
Population	207,055Highest	9,337Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S.	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S.	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S.	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Highest 52% above U.S.	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Worcester and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S.	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Thompson and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Thompson School District
High school in town	South High Community	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	7.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.