Population 4,192 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Great Brook Valley
Household size in Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.85 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.94 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.11 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.69 people per household, Great Brook Valley sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Worcester area, where it has 2.56 people. Household size has dropped from 2.85 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.6 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 26.5 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 25.4 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 27.1 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 27.1, Great Brook Valley is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties. No other Worcester neighborhood is 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 Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.8% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.6% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 49.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 38.5% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.3 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly four in ten households in Great Brook Valley (38.5%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Great Brook Valley has the highest share of single-parent households of any Worcester neighborhood.
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 Great Brook Valley
Renters in Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.8% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 86.1% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 82.8% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 84.0% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Great Brook Valley rent: 84.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. About seven in ten owners (70.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.8% of homes in Great Brook Valley are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Few Worcester neighborhoods have a lower 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 Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Great Brook Valley is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Compared with other Worcester neighborhoods, though, Great Brook Valley has newer homes than most.
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 Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $332 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $530 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $674 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,037 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$705 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Great Brook Valley pays $1,037 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 28.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. No other Worcester neighborhood has lower rents.
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 Great Brook Valley
Bachelor's degrees in Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Great Brook Valley: 15.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Great Brook Valley has the lowest share of college graduates of any Worcester neighborhood.
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 Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.3% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.2% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 74.3% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.1% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.7 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Great Brook Valley never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Great Brook Valley 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 Great Brook Valley
| Period | Great Brook Valley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Great Brook Valley: 7.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Great Brook Valley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Brook Valley | 2.69 | 27.1 | 38.5% | 84.0% | 4.8% | 1961 | $1,037 | 15.4% | 80.1% | 7.9% |
| North Lincoln Street | 2.34 | 40.2 | 19.1% | 67.0% | 6.6% | 1957 | $1,527 | 36.4% | 87.2% | 4.4% |
| Greendale | 2.05 | 43.0 | 7.4% | 31.6% | 4.4% | 1967 | $1,623 | 46.0% | 91.1% | 1.6% |
| Indian Lake East | 2.48 | 33.8 | 22.6% | 65.6% | 10.2% | 1948 | $1,692 | 41.4% | 92.3% | 7.4% |
| Indian Hill | 3.15 | 40.2 | 11.4% | 26.0% | 3.6% | 1972 | $1,146 | 47.4% | 86.4% | 1.3% |
| Bell Hill | 2.75 | 32.2 | 31.1% | 72.5% | 14.3% | 1945 | $1,803 | 31.6% | 81.0% | 8.4% |
| Lake Park | 2.03 | 40.6 | 10.3% | 60.7% | 8.3% | 1945 | $1,320 | 45.8% | 91.5% | 4.8% |
| Forest Grove | 2.35 | 39.0 | 5.0% | 25.4% | 6.5% | 1968 | $1,591 | 61.2% | 95.9% | 4.9% |
| Franklin Plantation | 2.40 | 35.3 | 14.3% | 66.2% | 9.7% | 1960 | $1,690 | 43.4% | 86.5% | 6.7% |
| 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% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Main Street, Willimantic, CT · Eagle Lake, Charlotte, NC · Elmwood, Syracuse, NY · Gray Haven, Dundalk, MD · Minnehaha, Spokane, WA · Winston Park, Palatine, IL · Willert Park, Buffalo, NY · Westbrae, Berkeley, CA · Upper Laurel, Oakland, CA · University Gardens, Great Neck, 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 Great Brook Valley. 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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