Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clara, CA
VS
Worcester, MA
🏆 Santa Clara leads 12 of 21 categories
Santa Clara
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
128,058
Worcester
Massachusetts
9
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.
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $102,341 more per year on average
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (4.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Property crime (2501.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Worcester, MA
Pros
Homes cost $1135k less ($305,600 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $1529/mo less ($1,312 vs $2,841)
91% less violent crime than Santa Clara
Violent crime is well below the national average (16.5 vs 380/100k)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clara
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $102,341/yr
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.2%)
Snowy winters — about 73" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clara
Median Income
$102,341
$165,352 vs $63,011/yr
Santa Clara
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
4.2% vs 6.6% unemployment
Worcester
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 103.8 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Worcester
Violent Crime
91% lower
16.5 vs 182.0 per 100k
Worcester
Median Home Value
$1135k less
$305,600 vs $1,440,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clara, CA | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,440,200⚠ High | $305,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,841⚠ High | $1,312 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $165,352 ✓ Higher | $63,011 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 24.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.9% ✓ Higher | 9.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | 4 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.0:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 85.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Clara Unified | Worcester |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 80.8°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6" ✓ Drier | 48.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 72.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 128,058 | 204,191 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 42.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 19.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clara's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Worcester's 103.8 (US average = 100).
Worcester is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Santa Clara leads 12 of 21 categories. Santa Clara wins 12 and Worcester wins 9. 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 Santa Clara to Worcester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,440,200 vs $305,600 median home), income ($165,352 vs $63,011), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clara, CA and Worcester, MA are about 2,645 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.