City comparison
Newton, MA is about 30 miles (50 km) from Worcester, MA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 38 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Newton, MA to Worcester, MA takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Worcester has a population of 204,191, vs 88,453 in Newton — about 2.3× larger by population. By land area, Worcester covers about 37 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Newton.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Newton | Worcester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,252/mo | $1,312/mo | 71.6% higher in Newton |
| Median home value | $1,136,200 | $305,600 | 271.8% higher in Newton |
| Median household income | $176,373 | $63,011 | 179.9% higher in Newton |
| Groceries index | 99.8 | 97.4 | 2.5% higher in Newton |
| Utilities index | 144.3 | 150.2 | 4.1% higher in Worcester |
| Transportation index | 102.9 | 100.7 | 2.2% higher in Newton |
| Healthcare index | 103.7 | 101.5 | 2.2% higher in Newton |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Newton, you'd need $86,535 in Worcester to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Worcester, MA is about 13.5% cheaper overall than Newton, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 35% higher in Newton than in Worcester. If you earn $80,000 in Newton, you'd need about $69,228 in Worcester to keep the same standard of living.