Population 23,260 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 01609
Household size in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.21 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.19 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 01609 run small, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has climbed from 2.21 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.7 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.0 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.6 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.3 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 01609 is young: half of its residents are under 34.6, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 36.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only 29 of the 343 Massachusetts ZIP codes with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in ZIP 01609 as they are nationally: 11.0%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 01609
Renters in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.6% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 60.1% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 62.7% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 63.3% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in ZIP 01609: 63.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 53.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 7.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in ZIP 01609: 12.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
ZIP 01609 is a place of older homes: half were built before 1952, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $837 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $898 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,160 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,510 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$673 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in ZIP 01609 pays $1,510 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $673 a month since 2006–10, up 80%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 37.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 01609
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.2% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.7% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.0 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
ZIP 01609 is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (51.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 12.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.9% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.6% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in ZIP 01609 is a bit above the national rate: 90.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Worcester area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.0 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 01609
| Period | ZIP 01609 | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in ZIP 01609 than nationally: unemployment was 6.3%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 01609 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 01609 | 2.40 | 34.6 | 11.0% | 63.3% | 12.9% | 1952 | $1,510 | 51.7% | 90.9% | 6.3% |
| ZIP 01608 | 1.90 | 30.7 | 12.5% | 92.3% | 13.8% | 1965 | $1,448 | 40.0% | 80.7% | 7.8% |
| ZIP 01602 | 2.57 | 39.5 | 10.7% | 36.1% | 7.1% | 1950 | $1,667 | 45.7% | 90.8% | 6.3% |
| ZIP 01605 | 2.56 | 34.4 | 24.4% | 66.2% | 8.9% | 1958 | $1,665 | 35.2% | 86.2% | 7.8% |
| ZIP 01610 | 2.62 | 30.2 | 20.5% | 81.6% | 9.0% | 1940 | $1,538 | 24.4% | 79.6% | 8.5% |
| ZIP 01603 | 2.56 | 38.3 | 15.4% | 54.0% | 5.9% | 1950 | $1,364 | 25.6% | 84.0% | 6.0% |
| ZIP 01604 | 2.41 | 37.9 | 15.6% | 56.0% | 10.4% | 1955 | $1,579 | 31.8% | 85.3% | 5.2% |
| ZIP 01606 | 2.53 | 39.6 | 10.8% | 33.1% | 5.8% | 1958 | $1,580 | 42.3% | 89.0% | 3.8% |
| ZIP 01655 | 1.46 | 43.6 | 1.9% | 51.7% | 14.9% | 1951 | $2,144 | 27.7% | 80.2% | 11.6% |
| ZIP 01607 | 2.49 | 37.0 | 15.0% | 54.7% | 9.8% | 1952 | $1,588 | 34.2% | 83.6% | 6.5% |
| ZIP 01611 | 2.64 | 47.1 | 9.0% | 12.2% | 6.6% | 1960 | $1,267 | 34.2% | 92.7% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 90274, CA · 33062, FL · 06877, CT · 95054, CA · 90270, CA · 66030, KS · 61615, IL · 55025, MN · 30327, GA · 10901, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 01609. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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