Worcester, MA
Census place 2582000 · pop 207,055
Where the smiley face was created in 1963 and where Esther Howland pioneered the American valentine-card industry.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
42.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
19.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,174/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
357 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
29.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$374,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.26% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
93/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$70,102 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
35.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
35.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
976 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
37 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+11.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Worcester, MA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Worcester scores 41/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days and its weakest is homeownership. Massachusetts overall ranks #34 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Worcester, MA?
- Worcester reports 357 violent crimes per 100k and 976 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Worcester, MA expensive to live in?
- Worcester has a median home value of $374,400 and typical rent around $2,174/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Worcester, MA?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (42.8%) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Worcester, MA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Where the smiley face was created in 1963 and where Esther Howland pioneered the American valentine-card industry.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.