Population 7,809 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Institute Park
Household size in Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.03 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.99 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.99 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.94 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Institute Park is a place of small households, averaging 1.94 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 2.03 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one 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 Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.8 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 26.0 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 28.5 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.9 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.1 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Institute Park is young: half of its residents are under 30.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.2% of households in Institute Park, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Institute Park has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Worcester neighborhoods.
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 Institute Park
Renters in Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.9% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 81.1% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 88.4% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 87.6% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.7 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Institute Park rent: 87.6% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Nearly half of owners (46.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 11.7 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 Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.3% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 20.3% of the housing in Institute Park, 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. No other Worcester neighborhood has a higher vacancy rate.
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 Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1944 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1939 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1940 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1948 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Institute Park is a place of older homes: half were built before 1948, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1944 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the north 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 Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $824 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $975 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,123 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,515 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$691 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Institute Park runs $1,515 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $691 a month since 2006–10, up 84%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 35.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the northwest.
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 Institute Park
Bachelor's degrees in Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.8% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.7% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 56.6% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +19.8 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Institute Park: 56.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 19.8 points, in line with the national trend. Of Worcester's 26 neighborhoods, only two have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.6% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.0% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Institute Park have finished high school (91.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The Worcester area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has edged up 1.2 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Institute Park
| Period | Institute Park | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Institute Park than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.6 points, 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).
Institute Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Institute Park | 1.94 | 30.9 | 8.2% | 87.6% | 20.3% | 1948 | $1,515 | 56.6% | 91.0% | 4.4% |
| Central Business District | 1.86 | 29.9 | 13.6% | 92.9% | 15.0% | 1969 | $1,524 | 45.0% | 80.1% | 5.6% |
| Bell Hill | 2.75 | 32.2 | 31.1% | 72.5% | 14.3% | 1945 | $1,803 | 31.6% | 81.0% | 8.4% |
| Main Middle | 2.70 | 33.9 | 19.1% | 90.0% | 10.9% | 1942 | $1,387 | 23.3% | 77.9% | 9.1% |
| Green Island | 2.68 | 32.8 | 36.7% | 81.0% | 18.7% | 1948 | $1,597 | 21.3% | 80.2% | 14.3% |
| Salisbury Street | 2.52 | 43.4 | 7.4% | 31.4% | 8.6% | 1947 | $2,014 | 60.8% | 94.9% | 3.4% |
| 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% |
| Franklin Plantation | 2.40 | 35.3 | 14.3% | 66.2% | 9.7% | 1960 | $1,690 | 43.4% | 86.5% | 6.7% |
| Newton Square | 2.76 | 37.4 | 7.7% | 33.8% | 9.3% | 1939 | $1,595 | 52.6% | 95.3% | 3.8% |
| Union Hill | 2.63 | 34.5 | 25.3% | 60.8% | 10.4% | 1948 | $1,566 | 20.7% | 78.4% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bethel Welborn, Kansas City, KS · Brookline Village Commercial District, Brookline, MA · Calumet Heights, Chicago, IL · Cedar-Riverside, Minneapolis, MN · Central, Minneapolis, MN · Duboce Triangle, San Francisco, CA · Holiday Hill, Jacksonville, FL · Sunbeam, Jacksonville, FL · Midtown, Little Rock, AR · Mustang-Padre Island, Corpus Christi, TX
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 Institute Park. 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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