Worcester receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Barnstable Town
Worcester
Opportunity
65 · Top 31%
vs64 · Top 32%
Growth
42 · Bottom 38%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
66 · Bottom 49%
vs61 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 25%
vs86 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 7%
vs84 · Bottom 25%
Access
61 · Bottom 22%
vs80 · Top 44%
Economic stability
52 · Top 48%
vs87 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Barnstable Town | Worcester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 231,668 | 867,788 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,241 | $95,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,086 | $48,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 588/sq mi | 574/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $629,000 | $423,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,678 | $1,426 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.1% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.2% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 505 | 1,793 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -31.4% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.7" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 63 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 31.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 55.4 | 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
Barnstable Town
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Worcester
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Barnstable Town
60
Your Score
62
Area Score
Worcester
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Barnstable Town, MA Metro Area · Worcester, MA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology