Compare towns
Worcester vs Williston vs New Bedford
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 the youngest population (median age 33.9).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Williston | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
10,144Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Bedford and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$357,300±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,338Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 |
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.