Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Worcester, MA
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 21 categories
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60
Population
138,728
Worcester
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,011
Violent Crime Index
4 ✓ Safer
Population
204,191 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $46,324 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 32°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Worcester
Worcester, MA
Pros
Homes cost $543k less ($305,600 vs $848,200)
93% less violent crime than Orange
Rent averages $836/mo less ($1,312 vs $2,148)
Violent crime is well below the national average (16.5 vs 380/100k)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $46,324/yr
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.7%)
Snowy winters — about 73" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$46,324
$109,335 vs $63,011/yr
Orange
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.6% unemployment
Worcester
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Worcester
Violent Crime
93% lower
16.5 vs 226.1 per 100k
Worcester
Median Home Value
$543k less
$305,600 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $305,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,312 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $63,011 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 9.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 | 4 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 85.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Worcester |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 48.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 72.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 204,191 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 42.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 19.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Worcester's 103.8 (US average = 100).
Worcester is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Orange leads 13 of 21 categories. Orange wins 13 and Worcester wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Orange to Worcester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $305,600 median home), income ($109,335 vs $63,011), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Worcester, MA are about 2,542 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.