Compare towns
Worcester vs Townshend vs West Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
West Boylston has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Townshend | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
1,538Lowest |
7,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7 17% above U.S. |
| Townshend and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Worcester and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Boylston and Townshend 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
$104,551±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$287,200±$79kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$440,000±$24kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,261±$154 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend and Worcester 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend and West Boylston 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 | — | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | West Boylston |
| High school in town | South High Community | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
8.1Lowest |
10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.