Worcester, MA

Census Place

Add Comparison

2024 Population

207,055

US Senator

Elizabeth Warren

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ed Markey

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

33.9

0.587% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

19.6%

1.06% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$70,102

3.79% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$374,400

10.3% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

104,068

1.2% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Worcester, 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.

87.8% of the residents in Worcester, MA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Worcester, MA are Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2,187 degrees awarded in 2024), Clark University (1,466 degrees), and Worcester State University (1,285 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Worcester, MA was $374,400, and the homeownership rate was 42.8%.

Most people in Worcester, MA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Worcester, MA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Worcester public library

Photo by LEONARDO DASILVA

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Population & Diversity

Worcester, MA is home to a population of 207k people, from which 87.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 24.9% of Worcester, MA residents were born outside of the country (51.6k people).

In 2024, there were 4.03 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (101k people) in Worcester, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 25k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 22.9k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.8%

2024 Citizenship

88.6%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 87.8% of Worcester, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Worcester, MA was 88.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Worcester, MA

White (Non-Hispanic)
101k ± 2.68k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
25k ± 1.59k
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
22.9k ± 2.61k

25.3%

Hispanic Population

52.3k people

25.3% of the people in Worcester, MA are hispanic (52.3k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Brazil
108,593 ± 8,028 people
Dominican Republic
106,391 ± 7,947 people
China
103,416 ± 7,837 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was Brazil, the natal country of 108,593 Massachusetts residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 106,391 and China with 103,416.

Foreign-Born Population

24.9%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

51.6k people

23.1%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

47.4k people

As of 2024, 24.9% of Worcester, MA residents (51.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Worcester, MA was 23.1%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,599 ± 288
Gulf War (2001-)
1,284 ± 302
Gulf War (1990s)
643 ± 243

Worcester, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.25 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Worcester, MA.

Health

96.1% of the population of Worcester, MA has health coverage, with 42.1% on employee plans, 31.8% on Medicaid, 6.93% on Medicare, 14.5% on non-group plans, and 0.673% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Massachusetts see 990 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (990 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 915 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 130 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.8% under 18 years, 30.3% between 18 and 34 years, 35.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

3.94%

Uninsured

42.1%

Employer Coverage

31.8%

Medicaid

6.93%

Medicare

14.5%

Non-Group

0.673%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Worcester, MA grew by 2.25% from 3.85% to 3.94%.

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

Economy

The economy of Worcester, MA employs 104k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Worcester, MA were Health Care & Social Assistance (20,872 people), Educational Services (14,236 people), and Retail Trade (11,109 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($94,301), Public Administration ($75,458), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($73,750).

Employment

Occupations

104k

2024 Value

± 2,914

1.2%

1 Year growth

± 3.92%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Worcester, MA grew at a rate of 1.2%, from 103k employees to 104k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Worcester, MA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,927 people), Management Occupations (9,846 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (8,465 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Worcester, 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

104k

2024 Value

± 2,914

1.2%

1 Year growth

± 3.92%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Worcester, MA grew at a rate of 1.2%, from 103k employees to 104k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Worcester, MA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (20,872 people), Educational Services (14,236 people), and Retail Trade (11,109 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Worcester, MA, though some of these residents may live in Worcester, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,587

Median earning men ± $1,528

$41,329

Median earning women ± $1,310

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($95,764), Public Administration ($82,830), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,654).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($68,376), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($63,654), and Manufacturing ($54,900).

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.

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, 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.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/massachusetts-special-senate-election.html |title=Democrat Wins Special Election for Kerry's Senate Seat |work=The New York Times |date=June 25, 2013 |access-date=May 21, 2020 |last1=Seelye |first1=Katharine Q. }}

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.

Education

In 2024, universities in Worcester, MA awarded 8,239 degrees. The student population of Worcester, MA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 14,954 male students and 17,128 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Worcester, MA are White (4,899 and 68.2%), Hispanic or Latino (791 and 11%), Asian (488 and 6.8%), and Black or African American (435 and 6.06%).

The largest universities in Worcester, MA by number of degrees awarded are Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2,187 and 26.5%), Clark University (1,466 and 17.8%), and Worcester State University (1,285 and 15.6%).

The most popular majors in Worcester, MA are Computer Science (493 and 5.98%), General Business Administration & Management (449 and 5.45%), and General Psychology (422 and 5.12%).

The median tuition costs are $58,570 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 2024 in Worcester, MA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 52%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 32,082 (46.6% men and 53.4% 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 2024 there were 32,082 students enrolled in Worcester, MA, 46.6% men and 53.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 16,851 records, of which 53.7% were women and 46.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
386 degrees awarded
Computer Science
299 degrees awarded
Mechanical Engineering
231 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Worcester, MA was General Psychology with 386 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
2,187 degrees awarded
Clark University
1,466 degrees awarded
Worcester State University
1,285 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Worcester Polytechnic Institute with 2,187 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 3,670 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Worcester, MA, which is 0.803 times less than the 4,569 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,899 degrees mean that there were 6.19 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 791 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 ($58,570) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($10,816) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,368) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Housing & Living

The median property value in Worcester, MA was $374,400 in 2024, which is 1.13 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $339,500 to $374,400, a 10.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Worcester, MA is 42.8%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Worcester, MA have an average commute time of 24.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Worcester, MA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$374,400

Median Property Value 2024

±$6,635

$33,988

Median Property Taxes

±$1,416

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, MA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

42.8%

Homeownership

2024

65.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 42.8% of the housing units in Worcester, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 42.4%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$70,102

Median Household Income

± $2,389

79.5k

Number of Households

± 2,517

In 2024, the median household income of the 79.5k households in Worcester, MA grew to $70,102 from the previous year's value of $67,544.

The following chart displays the households in Worcester, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.477

2024 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

0.478

2023 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

In 2024, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.477 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.306% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.474. 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 2024

Drove Alone (65.2%)
Worked At Home (11.5%)
Carpooled (11%)

In 2024, 65.2% of workers in Worcester, MA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.5%) and those who carpooled to work (11%).

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

24.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Worcester, MA have a shorter commute time (24.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.04% of the workforce in Worcester, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Worcester, 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, MA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Worcester, MA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

19.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Worcester, MA (37.8k out of 193k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Worcester, 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.