Compare towns
Worcester vs Windham vs Middlesex
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 affordable homes ($354k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
594Lowest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Middlesex 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% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest 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% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Windham 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. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
— | $1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester and Windham 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Windham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | South High Community | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | — |
| 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.