Compare towns
Worcester vs Ware 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%).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
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 | Ware | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
10,048Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kHighest 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Worcester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$357,300±$6k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Ware | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | South High Community | Ware Junior/Senior High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
13.5 |
| 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.