Compare towns
Worcester vs Wolcott vs Springfield 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).
Wolcott has the most homeowners (88.4%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Auburn has the most people working from home (14.1%).
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 | Wolcott | Springfield | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
16,279Lowest |
154,749 |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5 13% below U.S. |
44.4±2.5 14% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Wolcott 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% |
19.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Auburn and Wolcott 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% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$110,850±$10k 37% above U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Wolcott 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. |
$326,200±$17k about the U.S. average |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$400,000±$16kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,467±$155 4% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$5,799Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,289 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Worcester 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% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn 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 | #76 of 149 in CT | #276 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Wolcott School District | Springfield | Auburn |
| High school in town | South High Community | Wolcott High School | Springfield Central High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
10.1Lowest |
12.2 |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.