Town guide

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, home to about 207,055 people across 37 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 01602, 01603, 01604, 01605, 01606, 01607, 01608, 01609 and 01610.

Homes sold for a median of $267 per square foot across 9 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.

Population207,0555,542 per sq mi

Median home value$374,400Census, as estimated by owners

Price per sq ft$267Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026

Sold over asking46%Median of 9 ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Worcester

9 ZIP codes

Worcester, MA01602 Seller’s market $291/sq ft +7.1% vs. last year 1.6 months of supply · 46% sold over asking Competition 87/100

All in Worcester

Worcester, MA01603 Seller’s market $257/sq ft −2.5% vs. last year 1.8 months of supply · 50% sold over asking Competition 87/100

All in Worcester

Worcester, MA01604 Seller’s market $271/sq ft −1.4% vs. last year 2 months of supply · 56% sold over asking Competition 86/100

All in Worcester

Worcester, MA01605 Seller’s market $270/sq ft −7.2% vs. last year 2.7 months of supply · 44% sold over asking Competition 76/100

All in Worcester

Worcester, MA01606 Seller’s market $317/sq ft +10.6% vs. last year 1.8 months of supply · 68% sold over asking Competition 92/100

Mostly Worcester; also West Boylston

Worcester, MA01607 Seller’s market $253/sq ft −5.4% vs. last year 2.6 months of supply · 36% sold over asking Competition 76/100

Mostly Worcester

Worcester, MA01608 Seller’s market $252/sq ft −13.4% vs. last year 2 months of supply · 0% sold over asking

All in Worcester

Worcester, MA01609 Seller’s market $267/sq ft +3.8% vs. last year 3 months of supply · 50% sold over asking Competition 79/100

All in Worcester

Worcester, MA01610 Seller’s market $187/sq ft −12.4% vs. last year 3.3 months of supply · 29% sold over asking Competition 63/100

All in Worcester

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Worcester. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Worcester’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

History
What it’s like to live there
Getting around
Things to do

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Worcester at a glance

City · Worcester County, MA

Population	207,0555,542 per square mile
Land area	37 square milesplus 1.1 of water
Median household income	$70,102average $94,360
Median home value	$374,400as estimated by owners
Median rent	$1,487/month
Homes lived in by owners	43%
Single-family houses	32% of homes
Median year built	1951
Average household	2.42 people
Median age	33.9
Average commute	24 minutes12% work from home
Adults with a degree	35%bachelor’s or higher

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for the county subdivision; town boundaries and ZIP code overlaps from the Census Bureau’s 2020 relationship files; market figures from Redfin, a national real estate brokerage. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Around Worcester

Distances

Nearest major airport	Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)41 miles away
Closer regional airport	Worcester Regional Airport (ORH)4 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+	Boston, MA41 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+	New York, NY156 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Worcester; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Worcester

U.S. Representative · Massachusetts’s 2nd DistrictJames P. McGovern (D)
U.S. SenatorEdward J. Markey (D)
U.S. SenatorElizabeth Warren (D)
GovernorMaura Healey (D)

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Worcester had 206,518 residents in the 2020 census, up 20% since 2000.

It’s the 2nd largest of 351 towns in Massachusetts by population.

Worcester County grew from 346,958 residents in 1900 to 862,111 in 2020.

Worcester County, 1900–2020

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 17°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 73 inches of snow.

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Worcester Rgnl Ap, MA weather station (3 miles away).

Jobs in Worcester County

319,255 jobs at 19,181 businesses in Worcester County. The biggest industries by employees:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

5,455 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Worcester’s ZIP codes.

Nearest hospitals

St. Vincent HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · WorcesterUnder a mile
Adcare Hospital of Worcester INCGeneral hospital · no emergency room · WorcesterUnder a mile
Umass Memorial Medical Center/University CampusGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Worcester2.5 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors	539
Specialist doctors	746
Dentists	245
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants	870
Mental health providers	2,550
Physical and occupational therapists	399
Optometrists	57
Chiropractors	49
Pharmacies	53

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Worcester

Parks (79 nearby)

Green Hill Park · 453 acres1.6 mi
Lake Park · 75 acres2.7 mi
Hadwen Park · 56 acres3.0 mi
Institute Park · 46 acres0.5 mi
Newton Hill at Elm Park · 39 acres0.7 mi
Bell Hill Park · 37 acres1.1 mi

Grocery stores (23 nearby)

Market 320.4 mi
Ed Hyder's Mediterranean Marketplace0.7 mi
BCP Electric LLC1.0 mi
America's Food Basket1.1 mi

Pharmacies (17 nearby)

CVS Pharmacy0.6 mi
Walgreens1.0 mi
Boulevard Pharmaceutical Compounding Center, Inc1.1 mi
CVS Pharmacy1.2 mi

Libraries (35 nearby)

George C. Gordon Library0.3 mi
Worcester Art Museum Library0.3 mi
Worcester Law Library0.4 mi
Worcester Historical Museum Research Library0.4 mi
Bowditch and Dewey Library0.4 mi

Museums (5 nearby)

Salisbury Mansion0.3 mi
Major Taylor Museum0.3 mi
Worcester Historical Museum0.4 mi
EcoTarium2.1 mi
Blackstone River Valley Heritage Center2.4 mi

Theaters and performance venues (20 nearby)

Little Theatre0.2 mi
Worcester Memorial Auditorium0.3 mi
Tuckerman Hall0.4 mi
Palladium0.4 mi
Mechanics Hall0.5 mi

Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Established in 1673.

Colleges and universities

Clark University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
College of the Holy Cross
Becker College
Quinsigamond Community College

Sports teams

Worcester Railers ECHL

Notable people born here

Robert H. Goddard (1882) · American physicist
Elizabeth Bishop (1911) · American poet (1911–1979)
Alicia Witt (1975) · American actress and singer-songwriter (born 1975)
John Adams (1947) · American composer (born 1947)
Ronald Dworkin (1931) · American legal philosopher (1931-2013)
Arthur Kennedy (1914) · American actor (1914–1990)
Denis Leary (1957) · American actor and comedian (born 1957)
Samuel Fuller (1912) · American screenwriter, actor and film director (1912–1997)

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in Worcester

Public schools here are run by Worcester, Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public, Learning First Charter Public School and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (51)

School	Grades	Students	Type	Distance
Belmont Street CommunityWorcester	Pre-K–6	615	Public	1.0 mi
CanterburyWorcester	Pre-K–6	329	Public	1.7 mi
City ViewWorcester	Pre-K–6	464	Public	0.9 mi
Clark St CommunityWorcester	Pre-K–6	278	Public	3.4 mi
Columbus ParkWorcester	Pre-K–6	381	Public	1.8 mi
Elm Park CommunityWorcester	Pre-K–6	478	Public	0.1 mi
Francis J McGrath ElementaryWorcester	Pre-K–6	200	Public	1.1 mi
Gates LaneWorcester	Pre-K–6	547	Public	2.6 mi
Goddard School/Science TechnicalWorcester	Pre-K–6	359	Public	1.8 mi
Head StartWorcester	Pre-K	349	Public	0.9 mi
Jacob Hiatt MagnetWorcester	Pre-K–6	367	Public	0.9 mi
Nelson PlaceWorcester	Pre-K–6	621	Public	1.8 mi
Norrback AvenueWorcester	Pre-K–6	504	Public	4.0 mi
QuinsigamondWorcester	Pre-K–6	738	Public	2.6 mi
RooseveltWorcester	Pre-K–6	604	Public	3.2 mi
TatnuckWorcester	Pre-K–6	376	Public	2.3 mi
Vernon Hill SchoolWorcester	Pre-K–6	525	Public	2.2 mi
West TatnuckWorcester	Pre-K–6	343	Public	3.3 mi
Worcester Arts Magnet SchoolWorcester	Pre-K–6	372	Public	2.8 mi
Worcester Dual Language Magnet SchoolWorcester	Pre-K–6	519	Public	1.8 mi
Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public SchoolWorcester	K–12	1,426	Charter	2.5 mi
Burncoat StreetWorcester	K–6	223	Public	3.6 mi
Chandler Elementary CommunityWorcester	K–6	402	Public	0.7 mi
Flagg StreetWorcester	K–6	412	Public	1.6 mi
Grafton StreetWorcester	K–6	386	Public	1.4 mi
Heard StreetWorcester	K–6	245	Public	3.3 mi
Lake ViewWorcester	K–6	284	Public	2.4 mi
Learning First Charter Public SchoolWorcester	K–8	666	Charter	1.4 mi
Lincoln StreetWorcester	K–6	177	Public	2.6 mi
May StreetWorcester	K–6	310	Public	1.7 mi

And 21 more.

Private schools (12)

School	Grades	Students	Affiliation	Distance
Alhuda AcademyWorchester	Pre-K–8	110	Islamic	3.6 mi
Bancroft SchoolWorcester	Pre-K–12	416	Nonsectarian	2.4 mi
Our Lady of the Angels Memorial Elementary SchoolWorcester	Pre-K–8	149	Roman Catholic	2.5 mi
St Peter Central Catholic Elementary SchoolWorcester	Pre-K–8	302	Roman Catholic	1.2 mi
Venerini AcademyWorcester	Pre-K–8	187	Roman Catholic	0.8 mi
Summit Academy School for Alternative LearnersWorcester	K–12	25	Nonsectarian	1.4 mi
Worcester Seventh-Day Adventist SchoolWorcester	K–8	25	Seventh-day Adventist	2.5 mi
Center for Applied Behavioral Instruction SchoolWorcester	1–12	101	Nonsectarian	3.8 mi
Nativity School of WorcesterWorcester	5–8	59	Roman Catholic	0.6 mi
Worcester AcademyWorcester	6–12	532	Nonsectarian	1.5 mi
Notre Dame AcademyWorcester	7–12	258	Roman Catholic	1.3 mi
St Paul Diocesan Jr./Sr. High SchoolWorcester	7–12	406	Roman Catholic	2.3 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Towns near Worcester

All Massachusetts towns →

Shrewsbury, MATown · 38,876 people5 miles away Auburn, MATown · 16,970 people5 miles away Millbury, MATown · 13,961 people6 miles away Leicester, MATown · 11,113 people6 miles away Boylston, MATown · 4,948 people6 miles away West Boylston, MATown · 7,782 people6 miles away Paxton, MATown · 5,002 people6 miles away Holden, MATown · 20,064 people6 miles away

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.