Compare towns
Worcester vs Worcester vs West Boylston
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
West Boylston has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Worcester | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
831Lowest |
7,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7 17% above U.S. |
| Worcester and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Worcester and West Boylston 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% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$104,551±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$440,000±$24kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,261±$154 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and West Boylston 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 | — | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | West Boylston |
| High school in town | South High Community | None in town | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| 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.