Population 3,683 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Central Business District
Household size in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.10 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.04 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.12 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.86 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.24 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Central Business District is a place of small households, averaging 1.86 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.10 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. No other Worcester neighborhood has smaller households.
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 Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.9 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.0 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.9 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 29.9 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.0 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Central Business District is young: half of its residents are under 29.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Few Worcester neighborhoods are younger: only two of 26.
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 Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.3% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −11.7 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in seven households in Central Business District (13.6%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%.
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 Central Business District
Renters in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 92.0% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 92.9% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Central Business District rent: 92.9% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over four in ten owners (41.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Central Business District has the highest share of renters of any Worcester neighborhood.
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 Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.0% of the housing in Central Business District, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Few Worcester neighborhoods have a higher vacancy rate: only two of 26.
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 Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1951 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +22 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Central Business District is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Among Worcester's 26 neighborhoods, though, only one other has newer homes.
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 Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $660 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $745 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $774 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,524 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$864 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Central Business District runs $1,524 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 33.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Central Business District
Bachelor's degrees in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.6% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.0% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.0% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +22.5 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Central Business District than nationally: 45.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Central Business District has a higher share of college graduates than most Worcester neighborhoods.
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 Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.8% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 69.0% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.6% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.1% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +14.3 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Central Business District never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Central Business District has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Worcester neighborhoods.
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 Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.6%, unemployment in Central Business District is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Central Business District compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Business District | 1.86 | 29.9 | 13.6% | 92.9% | 15.0% | 1969 | $1,524 | 45.0% | 80.1% | 5.6% |
| Institute Park | 1.94 | 30.9 | 8.2% | 87.6% | 20.3% | 1948 | $1,515 | 56.6% | 91.0% | 4.4% |
| Bell Hill | 2.75 | 32.2 | 31.1% | 72.5% | 14.3% | 1945 | $1,803 | 31.6% | 81.0% | 8.4% |
| Green Island | 2.68 | 32.8 | 36.7% | 81.0% | 18.7% | 1948 | $1,597 | 21.3% | 80.2% | 14.3% |
| Main Middle | 2.70 | 33.9 | 19.1% | 90.0% | 10.9% | 1942 | $1,387 | 23.3% | 77.9% | 9.1% |
| Franklin Plantation | 2.40 | 35.3 | 14.3% | 66.2% | 9.7% | 1960 | $1,690 | 43.4% | 86.5% | 6.7% |
| Union Hill | 2.63 | 34.5 | 25.3% | 60.8% | 10.4% | 1948 | $1,566 | 20.7% | 78.4% | 6.4% |
| Vernon Hill | 2.17 | 41.6 | 23.5% | 82.4% | 9.5% | 1954 | $1,575 | 16.0% | 74.4% | 7.2% |
| University Park | 2.68 | 28.4 | 18.6% | 90.2% | 6.2% | 1942 | $1,352 | 28.4% | 80.9% | 11.8% |
| Indian Lake East | 2.48 | 33.8 | 22.6% | 65.6% | 10.2% | 1948 | $1,692 | 41.4% | 92.3% | 7.4% |
| Salisbury Street | 2.52 | 43.4 | 7.4% | 31.4% | 8.6% | 1947 | $2,014 | 60.8% | 94.9% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Southside University, St. Cloud, MN · Woodburn, Morgantown, WV · Urbanizacion Bonneville Hts, Caguas, PR · Emerald Estates, Bakersfield, CA · The Dominion, San Antonio, TX · Orange Blossom Gardens, Lady Lake, FL · Fairview, Milwaukee, WI · Sugar Pond Manor of Wellington, Wellington, FL · Arlington, Youngstown, OH · Fruitvale, Bakersfield, CA
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 Central Business District. 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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