Worcester receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ann Arbor
Worcester
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs64 · Top 32%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
60 · Bottom 24%
vs61 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 1%
vs86 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
83 · Bottom 23%
vs84 · Bottom 25%
Access
90 · Top 25%
vs80 · Top 44%
Economic stability
66 · Top 32%
vs87 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Ann Arbor | Worcester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 369,822 | 867,788 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,180 | $95,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,714 | $48,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 524/sq mi | 574/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $374,100 | $423,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,463 | $1,426 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.1% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.7% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,550 | 1,793 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 24.3% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.8" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 31.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.0 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Ann Arbor
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Worcester
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Ann Arbor, MI Metro Area · Worcester, MA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology