The Town FilesWorcester, Massachusetts
City in Worcester County · population 206,518 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $374,400
- Household income
- $70,102
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 73 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 33.9
Worcester is a city of 206,518 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $374,400, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of Massachusetts towns, more walkable than 96% of Massachusetts towns, hipper than 89% of Massachusetts towns.
How Worcester ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Worcester is worth $374,400, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $70,102, which is more affordable than 30% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,487 a month. 42.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Worcester | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $374,400 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,487 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $70,102 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 42.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Worcester
| People | Worcester | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.2% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Worcester
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 72.9 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 130 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Worcester since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 9, 1953 about 6.9 miles from the town center and killed 90. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 92 deaths and 1,232 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Worcester itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Worcester
49 public schools with 26,671 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South High Community | 9-12 | 1,791 | 14.3 |
| Worcester Technical High | 9-12 | 1,439 | 12.2 |
| Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School (charter) | K-12 | 1,421 | 11.4 |
| North High | 9-12 | 1,420 | 14.3 |
| Doherty Memorial High | 9-12 | 1,398 | 13.6 |
| Burncoat Senior High | 9-12 | 1,124 | 12.4 |
| Sullivan Middle | 6-8 | 844 | 10.2 |
| Forest Grove Middle | 7-8 | 829 | 11.2 |
| Quinsigamond | PK-6 | 715 | 12.3 |
| Worcester East Middle | 7-8 | 695 | 12.6 |
| Burncoat Middle School | 7-8 | 684 | 13.2 |
| Learning First Charter Public School (charter) | K-8 | 667 | 19.1 |
Towns near Worcester
- Shrewsbury, MA4.9 mi · 38,325 people · home $592,300
- Auburn, MA5.3 mi · 16,889 people · home $400,000
- Millbury, MA5.6 mi · 13,831 people · home $450,100
- Leicester, MA5.8 mi · 11,087 people · home $413,100
- Holden, MA6.6 mi · 19,905 people · home $470,700
- West Boylston, MA7.0 mi · 7,877 people · home $440,000
- Paxton, MA7.4 mi · 5,004 people · home $472,300
- Boylston, MA7.5 mi · 4,849 people · home $578,600
Worcester questions
Is Worcester, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Worcester scores better for retirees than 2% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 2%. 13.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.9).
How much does a house cost in Worcester?
The median owner-occupied home in Worcester is valued at $374,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,102, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,487 a month.
What is the weather like in Worcester?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 72.9 inches of snow.
Does Worcester get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Worcester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)