What it's like to live in Worcester
Worcester is a large city in Massachusetts with air quality that stays clean most of the year and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Worcester deals with crime rates above the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 73" per year
How Worcester compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Worcester
Based on Worcester's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,974
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,480 a year
- 52% of Worcester renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$74,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $37,440
- Homes cost 5.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,487/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,487 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $374,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $374,400 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 83% above US
602 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 1433/100k · Worcester Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 77°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 20°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
5 hospitals
There are 5 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
49 public schools inside the boundary
There are 49 public schools inside the boundary and 11 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Minute Man National Historical Park (29 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Worcester's strongest point is air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and hospital ratings below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,487/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.
Other places near Worcester
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