What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).

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	Wakefield
People
Population	207,055Highest	27,793Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Worcester 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%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Wakefield 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%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 17% below MA	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	—
High school in town	South High Community	—
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.