Burlington-South Burlington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Burlington-South Burlington
Worcester
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs64 · Top 32%
Growth
62 · Top 31%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
58 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 4%
vs86 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 20%
vs84 · Bottom 25%
Access
83 · Top 36%
vs80 · Top 44%
Economic stability
85 · Top 8%
vs87 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Burlington-South Burlington | Worcester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 227,846 | 867,788 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,043 | $95,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,764 | $48,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 182/sq mi | 574/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $401,000 | $423,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,581 | $1,426 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.2% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,171 | 1,793 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 54.1% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.5" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 31.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 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
Burlington-South Burlington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
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.
Burlington-South Burlington
75
Your Score
73
Area Score
Worcester
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metro Area · Worcester, MA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology