Worcester serves as the county seat for Worcester County. Its location in Central Massachusetts has earned it the nickname, “Heart of the Commonwealth.”
Diversity and Population Statistics
Nearly 21% of the population is of Hispanic or Latino origin. Worcester has always been appealing to immigrants from all around the globe, and many different ethnicities can be found living within the city, including French, Puerto Ricans, Poles, Lebanese, Indians, and Brazilians—to name a few.
Worcester Population Growth
Worcester’s population grew significantly throughout its early years, primarily due to immigration. A community of just over 2,400 people at the beginning of the 19th century exploded to over 118,000 in the next century. This number continued to rise until reaching its peak of 203,486 in 1950. After this, the population began to drop until finally growth was re-recorded in 1990. Since the last census in 2010, the population is up nearly 2% indicating that this city is growing once again.