Compare towns
Worcester vs Windham vs Lynn vs Auburn
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 most renters (57.2% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Lynn has the most expensive homes ($510k median).
Auburn has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Windham | Lynn | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
594Lowest |
101,709 |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
36.5±1.2 6% below U.S. |
44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Lynn and Auburn 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.7%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$75,043±$3k 7% below U.S. |
$116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$510,100±$23kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$400,000±$16k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
— | $1,722±$60Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,467±$155Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,384 73% above U.S. |
$5,289 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynn 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Auburn 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 | — | #277 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — | Lynn | Auburn |
| High school in town | South High Community | — | Lynn English High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | 15.0Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.