Barnstable Town vs Worcester
Compare Barnstable Town, MA and Worcester, MA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Worcester is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,241/mo versus $1,536/mo in Barnstable Town — a gap of about $295/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,661/mo against $2,082/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (228 vs 223 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 82°F and 80°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Worcester; if walkable daily life matters more, Worcester screens stronger on the walkability proxy (22 vs 20). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Worcester leads 56 to 53 on the cost and climate screen.
Barnstable Town leads 73 to 69 on the work screen.
Barnstable Town leads 45 to 37 on the daily life screen.
Worcester leads 61 to 57 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Barnstable Town is roughly $95,625 in Worcester using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Barnstable Town | Worcester | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,536/mo | $1,241/mo | Worcester |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $2,082/mo | $1,661/mo | Worcester |
| Median home value | $519,000 | $347,000 | Worcester |
| State income tax | 9% | 9% | Tie |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 31.6 min | Barnstable Town |
| Safety score | 70/100 | 68/100 | Barnstable Town |
| School score | 7/10 | 6/10 | Barnstable Town |
| Walkability estimate | 20/100 | 22/100 | Worcester |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 354.4 | 150.0 | Barnstable Town |
| Mountain distance | 76 mi | 11 mi | Worcester |
| Coast distance | 2 mi | 39 mi | Barnstable Town |
What stands out
Barnstable Town stronger signals
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 56 miles
- Named beach within 3 miles
Barnstable Town tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- High top marginal state income tax
Worcester stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 5 miles
- Named beach within 4 miles
- Coast access within 39 miles
Worcester tradeoffs
- High top marginal state income tax
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Barnstable Town cheaper than Worcester?
On public benchmarks Worcester is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,536/mo in Barnstable Town vs $1,241/mo in Worcester; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $2,082/mo vs $1,661/mo; state income tax is 9% vs 9%.
Is Barnstable Town or Worcester safer?
Barnstable Town screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 70/100 for Barnstable Town and 68/100 for Worcester (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Barnstable Town or Worcester?
School screens show 7/10 for Barnstable Town vs 6/10 for Worcester, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Barnstable Town and Worcester?
Barnstable Town: summer highs near 82°F, winter lows near 18°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Worcester: 80°F / 14°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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