Worcester County, Massachusetts
Among the top 23% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 4% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 71% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 9% for broadband access
- bottom 2% for monthly owner costs
Worcester County is a county in Massachusetts with about 859,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, broadband access, and walkability. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Worcester County is $363k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Worcester County is $89k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Worcester County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Worcester County has a violent crime rate of 908/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Worcester County is 29 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
61%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.7 in
humid 88%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$89k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$58kbetter than 8% of US counties
Home Value$363k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 10% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$218kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.36%better than 20% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
Sales Tax6.25%better than 77% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden16.62%better than 5% of US counties
Unemployment5.6%better than 34% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.3 in67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall68.7 inbetter than 6% of US counties
Sunny Days197 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk93.5better than 6% of US counties
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 70% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime908/100kbetter than 41% of US counties
Property Crime875/100kbetter than 52% of US counties
Community
Population858,89898th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.238th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3864th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+189th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)73.4%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.7%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)12.5%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.1%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.2%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 20% of US counties
Walkability9.3/20better than 91% of US counties
Airport Distance45 mibetter than 83% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.6%better than 91% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.42better than 28% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 69% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Worcester County an affordable place to live?
- Worcester County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $58k, better than 8% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Worcester County safe?
- Worcester County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 908/100k (better than 41%). Property crime is 875/100k.
- What is the weather like in Worcester County?
- Worcester County averages 72°F in July and 25°F in January, with 48.3 in of annual precipitation and about 197 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Worcester County?
- Public-school quality in Worcester County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Worcester County?
- The average one-way commute in Worcester County is 29 min.