Worcester, MA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Massachusetts·Worcester

Worcester County · Worcester · population 211,286

Image: Wikipedia · Worcester, Massachusetts

Overview Cost of living Moving guide

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Rising

Momentum score · 0–100

Where Worcester stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $435,532

1-year +1.0%

5-yr CAGR +6.2%

vs 5-yr peak +0.0%

Population +0.6%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly

Lifestyle scores

🚶

Walkability

64/100

Somewhat walkable

Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.

🚉

Public transit

38/100

Minimal transit

Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.

💻

Remote work fit

79/100

Strong remote-work fit

Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 16.7

Lean buy

At a 16.7 price-to-rent ratio, Worcester is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →

Home YoY

55 · w22%

Home 5-yr CAGR

70 · w22%

Distance from peak

90 · w18%

Population growth

56 · w16%

Rent YoY

58 · w12%

Home 10-yr CAGR

82 · w10%

Long thesis

Worcester has held up across the cycle: home values at $435,532 with +6.2% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Worcester's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Worcester

Worcester is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 211,286. The population grew 0.6% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Worcester is $435,532 as of 2026-04, up 1.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Worcester average $2,180 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.9%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.

●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Worcester (Wikipedia)

Worcester is a city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The principal city of Central Massachusetts, Worcester is both the second-most populous city in the state, and the 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city had an estimated 213,862 people as of 2025, also making it the second-most populous city in New England, after Boston. Because it is near the geographic center of Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth"; a heart is the official symbol of the city. Worcester is the historical seat of Worcester County.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorJoseph Petty

Area38.44 sq mi

Elevation480 ft

Settled1673

Density5527.78/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Worcester County right now.

NWS active alerts (MA)Massachusetts Emergency Management How to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Worcester County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Worcester

Fall River, MA69 · Rising Lowell, MA66 · Rising Brockton, MA65 · Rising Leominster, MA70 · Rising

Run the numbers for Worcester

ToolCan I afford Worcester?Income → city shortlist ToolROI on a Worcester rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR ToolCompare Worcester to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 cities ToolWorcester cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)

35° / 21°

avg high / low

Summer (Jul)

81° / 64°

avg high / low

Sunny days/yr

200

~55% of year

Annual precip

48″ rain

43″ snow

Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)

Hurricane

Moderate

Tornado

Low

Wildfire

Very low

Earthquake

Very low

Flood

Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Worcester area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

NFLNew England Patriots →

NBABoston Celtics →

MLBBoston Red Sox →

NHLBoston Bruins →

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Worcester listings on the major real-estate sites.

For rent

Zillow rentals → Apartments.com → Trulia rentals →

For sale

Zillow for sale → Realtor.com →

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Latest news

Worcester families part of lawsuit accusing state of school segregation
Worcester Telegram · 4h ago
Popular Restaurant Chain Coming To Central MA Shopping Center
Patch · 1d ago
Severe storms cause widespread damage across Worcester County
Boston 25 News · 1d ago
This is why they’re building 4 tiny homes in a village in Worcester
MassLive · 1d ago
Boston lost population last year. Two cities gained in Mass.
The Business Journals · 2d ago
Central Mass. rebounding from intense wind and rain
Worcester Telegram · 13h ago

Local chatter (Reddit)

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity

70%

Humid climate

Median household income

$96,500

Massachusetts state median

Top industries (state-level)

TechBiotechEducation/Healthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.