Population 867,788 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Worcester County
Household size in Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Worcester County run a little small, averaging 2.56 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of Massachusetts.
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 Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 41.1, the median age in Worcester County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.1, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northwest.
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 Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Worcester County (11.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Massachusetts overall (10.6%). The single-parent share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Worcester County
Renters in Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Worcester County rent their homes (34.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in Massachusetts overall (37.5%). Among owners, 33.6% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Worcester County than nationally: 6.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Massachusetts. Vacancy has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Worcester County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1965, 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 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the center.
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 Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Worcester County costs $1,549 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Massachusetts overall ($1,860). Rents are up $619 a month from 2006–10, a 67% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.1% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Worcester County
Bachelor's degrees in Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Worcester County than nationally: 39.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in Massachusetts as a whole (47.2%). The share with a degree is up 6.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Worcester County have finished high school (90.9%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Massachusetts. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.5 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Worcester County
| Period | Worcester County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Worcester County is close to the national rate: 5.3% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.4 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Worcester County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester County | 2.56 | 41.1 | 11.7% | 34.2% | 6.8% | 1965 | $1,549 | 39.8% | 90.9% | 5.3% |
| Middlesex County | 2.56 | 40.3 | 8.3% | 38.7% | 5.9% | 1962 | $2,208 | 59.5% | 93.0% | 4.3% |
| Norfolk County | 2.59 | 41.9 | 7.9% | 31.3% | 5.0% | 1965 | $2,148 | 59.8% | 94.1% | 4.8% |
| Suffolk County | 2.36 | 35.9 | 12.1% | 63.5% | 9.3% | 1957 | $2,151 | 50.4% | 86.9% | 6.7% |
| Hampshire County | 2.31 | 40.8 | 8.1% | 32.2% | 10.0% | 1967 | $1,516 | 52.5% | 95.9% | 5.4% |
| Berkshire County | 2.18 | 47.3 | 10.7% | 30.1% | 16.0% | 1956 | $1,361 | 39.5% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Columbia County | 2.25 | 49.0 | 11.1% | 23.7% | 19.4% | 1965 | $1,305 | 38.7% | 91.6% | 5.5% |
| Greene County | 2.43 | 48.0 | 6.9% | 22.8% | 28.7% | 1967 | $1,099 | 31.2% | 89.9% | 4.1% |
| Delaware County | 2.22 | 49.0 | 9.5% | 22.7% | 32.4% | 1968 | $916 | 28.3% | 88.8% | 6.0% |
| Chenango County | 2.31 | 45.8 | 10.8% | 24.6% | 18.2% | 1965 | $910 | 19.9% | 89.8% | 6.1% |
| Tompkins County | 2.11 | 36.3 | 8.1% | 45.9% | 9.9% | 1971 | $1,436 | 61.0% | 95.4% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Erie County, NY · Gwinnett County, GA · Fairfield County, CT · Bergen County, NJ · Shelby County, TN · Pinellas County, FL · Kern County, CA · Hidalgo County, TX · Hartford County, CT · Hamilton County, OH
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 Worcester County. 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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