Worcester County, MA

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

861,664

0.322% 1-year growth

US Senator

Elizabeth Warren

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ed Markey

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

40.3

0.249% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

10.3%

3.45% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$93,561

5.69% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$390,700

7.57% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

443,268

0.385% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Worcester County, MA had a population of 862k people with a median age of 40.3 and a median household income of $93,561. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Worcester County, MA grew from 858,898 to 861,664, a 0.322% increase and its median household income grew from $88,524 to $93,561, a 5.69% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Worcester County, MA are White (Non-Hispanic) (71.8%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.18%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (4.94%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.64%), and White (Hispanic) (3.79%).

None of the households in Worcester County, MA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

93.6% of the residents in Worcester County, MA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Worcester County, MA are Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2,165 degrees awarded in 2023), Fitchburg State University (1,838 degrees), and Clark University (1,388 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Worcester County, MA was $390,700, and the homeownership rate was 65.7%.

Most people in Worcester County, MA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Worcester County, MA was 2 cars per household.

Worcester County, MA borders Tolland County, CT, Windham County, CT, Franklin County, MA, Hampden County, MA, Hampshire County, MA, Middlesex County, MA, Norfolk County, MA, Cheshire County, NH, Hillsborough County, NH, and Providence County, RI.

About the photo: Bancroft Tower in Worcester, MA

Photo by Troy B. Thompson

United States Massachusetts Worcester, MA-CT

Population & Diversity

Worcester County, MA is home to a population of 862k people, from which 93.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 13.8% of Worcester County, MA residents were born outside of the country (119k people).

In 2023, there were 13.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (618k people) in Worcester County, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 44.6k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 42.6k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.6%

2023 Citizenship

93.8%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 93.6% of Worcester County, MA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Worcester County, MA was 93.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Worcester County, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Worcester County, MA

White (Non-Hispanic)
618k ± 2.04k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
44.6k ± 955
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
42.6k ± 2.58k

13.3%

Hispanic Population

115k people

13.3% of the people in Worcester County, MA are hispanic (115k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Worcester County, MA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Massachusetts.

Most Common Origin

China
103,356 ± 7,834 people
Brazil
101,793 ± 7,776 people
Dominican Republic
101,190 ± 7,753 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 103,356 Massachusetts residents, followed by Brazil with 101,793 and Dominican Republic with 101,190.

Foreign-Born Population

13.8%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

119k people

13.3%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

115k people

As of 2023, 13.8% of Worcester County, MA residents (119k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Worcester County, MA was 13.3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Worcester County, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
11,661 ± 838
Gulf War (2001-)
6,720 ± 674
Gulf War (1990s)
4,804 ± 646

Worcester County, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.74 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Worcester County, MA employs 443k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Worcester County, MA were Health Care & Social Assistance (73,345 people), Manufacturing (51,407 people), and Educational Services (50,646 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($112,628), Utilities ($97,274), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($96,261).

Employment

Occupations

443k

2023 Value

± 5,729

0.385%

1 Year growth

± 1.76%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Worcester County, MA grew at a rate of 0.385%, from 442k employees to 443k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Worcester County, MA, are Management Occupations (54,926 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (44,465 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (38,132 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Worcester County, MA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Massachusetts (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

443k

2023 Value

± 5,729

0.385%

1 Year growth

± 1.76%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Worcester County, MA grew at a rate of 0.385%, from 442k employees to 443k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Worcester County, MA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (73,345 people), Manufacturing (51,407 people), and Educational Services (50,646 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Worcester County, MA, though some of these residents may live in Worcester County, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$64,986

Median earning men ± $1,310

$47,434

Median earning women ± $857

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($95,591), Information ($94,702), and Public Administration ($92,682).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($69,036), Public Administration ($66,283), and Manufacturing ($60,115).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

Y-Axis

2.61%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.67M people employed in Massachusetts. This represents a 2.61% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 17.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Massachusetts.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,874
Construction
1,290
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,251
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$2.72M
Manufacturing
$2.41M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Massachusetts went to Kamala Harris with 61.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (36%), followed by Other (1.48%).

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing the state of Massachusetts. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Massachusetts is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Worcester County, MA. Showing the available data for Massachusetts.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (61.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (36%)
Republican Party
Other (1.48%)
Other Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Massachusetts went to Kamala Harris with 61.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (36%), followed by Other (1.48%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Massachusetts for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Massachusetts

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

Elizabeth Warren

Senator from Massachusetts

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Ed Markey

Senator from Massachusetts

Assumed office on July 16, 2013
Elected to the seat to succeed Mo Cowan, who had been appointed to the seat following the resignation of John Kerry, who had become Secretary of State.

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing Massachusetts.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Massachusetts over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Massachusetts

Massachusetts is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Massachusetts have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Worcester County, MA awarded 11,910 degrees. The student population of Worcester County, MA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 19,633 male students and 23,749 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Worcester County, MA are White (7,499 and 69.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (1,223 and 11.3%), Black or African American (739 and 6.83%), and Asian (609 and 5.63%).

The largest universities in Worcester County, MA by number of degrees awarded are Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2,165 and 18.2%), Fitchburg State University (1,838 and 15.4%), and Clark University (1,388 and 11.7%).

The most popular majors in Worcester County, MA are General Business Administration & Management (1,119 and 9.4%), General Psychology (564 and 4.74%), and Registered Nursing (541 and 4.54%).

The median tuition costs in Worcester County, MA are $51,656 for private four year colleges, and $970 and $7,050 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Worcester County, MA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 60.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 43,382 (45.3% men and 54.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 43,382 students enrolled in Worcester County, MA, 45.3% men and 54.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 24,543 records, of which 55.5% were women and 44.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
368 degrees awarded
Computer Science
283 degrees awarded
General Psychology
525 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Worcester County, MA was General Business Administration & Management with 368 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Worcester County, MA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
2,165 degrees awarded
Fitchburg State University
1,838 degrees awarded
Clark University
1,388 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Worcester Polytechnic Institute with 2,165 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 5,049 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Worcester County, MA, which is 0.736 times less than the 6,861 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,499 degrees mean that there were 6.13 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,223 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($51,656) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($10,196) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,284) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

Measure

In 2023, 1.24% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.27% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were Bachelors Degree (1.37M), High School or Equivalent (1.34M), and Graduate Degree (1.06M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Worcester County, MA was $390,700 in 2023, which is 1.29 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $363,200 to $390,700, a 7.57% increase. The homeownership rate in Worcester County, MA is 65.7%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Worcester County, MA have an average commute time of 29.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Worcester County, MA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Worcester County, MA is $93,561. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Worcester County, MA was Census Tract 7424.01, Worcester County, MA with a value of $217,841, followed by Census Tract 7411.02, Worcester County, MA and Census Tract 7401.02, Worcester County, MA, with respective values of $210,912 and $206,639.

In 2024, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Worcester County, MA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.14%.

Housing

Property

$390,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,366

$218,849

Median Property Taxes

±$3,254

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Worcester County, MA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Worcester County, MA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

65.7%

Homeownership

2023

61.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 65.7% of the housing units in Worcester County, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 65.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Worcester County, MA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 7424.01, Worcester County, MA
Census Tract 7411.02, Worcester County, MA
Census Tract 7401.02, Worcester County, MA

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Worcester County, MA was Census Tract 7424.01, Worcester County, MA with a value of $217,841, followed by Census Tract 7411.02, Worcester County, MA and Census Tract 7401.02, Worcester County, MA, with respective values of $210,912 and $206,639.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Worcester County, MA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$93,561

Median Household Income

± $1,275

333k

Number of Households

± 4,636

In 2023, the median household income of the 333k households in Worcester County, MA grew to $93,561 from the previous year's value of $88,524.

The following chart displays the households in Worcester County, MA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Worcester County, MA is from Massachusetts.

0.478

2023 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

0.48

2022 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

In 2023, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.384% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Massachusetts in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Massachusetts across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (71.8%)
Worked At Home (14.3%)
Carpooled (7.78%)

In 2023, 71.8% of workers in Worcester County, MA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.3%) and those who carpooled to work (7.78%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

29.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Worcester County, MA have a longer commute time (29.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.93% of the workforce in Worcester County, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Worcester County, MA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Worcester County, MA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Worcester County, MA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Worcester County, MA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.14%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Worcester County, MA (86.4k out of 836k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Worcester County, MA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 11.7% of the children was living in poverty in Worcester County, MA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 3.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 436 in Worcester County, MA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 16.4 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

97.4% of the population of Worcester County, MA has health coverage, with 53% on employee plans, 20.1% on Medicaid, 11% on Medicare, 12.3% on non-group plans, and 0.858% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Worcester County, MA see 1,071 patients per year on average, which represents a 7.42% increase from the previous year (997 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1290 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 172 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,071 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Worcester County, MA

Primary care physicians in Worcester County, MA see an average of 1,071 patients per year. This represents a 7.42% increase from the previous year (997 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Worcester County, MA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 20.9% between 18 and 34 years, 40.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

2.62%

Uninsured

53%

Employer Coverage

20.1%

Medicaid

11%

Medicare

12.3%

Non-Group

0.858%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Worcester County, MA grew by 4.82% from 2.5% to 2.62%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Worcester County, MA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 33 in Worcester County, MA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Worcester County, MA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.2% in Worcester County, MA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Worcester County, MA.