Boston-Cambridge-Newton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Worcester
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Opportunity
64 · Top 32%
vs69 · Top 25%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs51 · Top 50%
Climate
61 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
86 · Top 9%
vs86 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
84 · Bottom 34%
vs67 · Bottom 14%
Access
80 · Bottom 44%
vs98 · Top 7%
Economic stability
87 · Top 9%
vs93 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Worcester | Boston-Cambridge-Newton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 867,788 | 4,953,354 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,939 | $115,863 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,914 | $63,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 574/sq mi | 1,421/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $423,700 | $646,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,426 | $2,023 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 51.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,793 | 11,731 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.5% | 21.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 32.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 39.3 | 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
Worcester
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Worcester
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
75
Your Score
73
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Worcester, MA Metro Area · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology