Worcester, Massachusetts Population 2023

205,272

Worcester is a city located in Worcester County Massachusetts. Worcester has a 2023 population of 205,272. It is also the county seat of Worcester County.Worcester is currently declining at a rate of -0.16% annually and its population has decreased by -0.47% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 206,242 in 2020.

The average household income in Worcester is $76,859 with a poverty rate of 19.28%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Worcester is 34.4 years, 33.1 years for males, and 35.6 years for females.

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.

Worcester Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Worcester was:

  • White: 64.73%
  • Black or African American: 12.69%
  • Two or more races: 9.76%
  • Asian: 6.77%
  • Other race: 5.47%
  • Native American: 0.52%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.06%
Land Area (mi²)
37.4 sq mi
Density (mi²)
5,494.40/sq mi
Growth Rate
-0.16% (-323)
Growth Since 2020
-0.47% (-970)
The current population of Worcester, Massachusetts is 205,272 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 206,242.

Worcester, Massachusetts Population 2023

Population by Race

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White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Asian

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Worcester Population by Race

Worcester Population Pyramid 2023

Worcester Median Age

34.4

Total

33.1

Male

35.6

Female

Worcester Adults

There are 163,869 adults, (26,453 of whom are seniors) in Worcester.

Worcester Age Dependency

48.4

Age Dependency Ratio

19.3

Old Age Dependency Ratio

29.1

Child Dependency Ratio

Worcester Sex Ratio

Female103,31050.68%
Male100,55749.32%

Worcester Population by Age

Worcester Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.14

Average Family Size

2.4

Average Household Size

42.4%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Worcester Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Worcester Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Worcester Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 73.35%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 37.84%.

Worcester Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$44,271

Average Earnings

$48,903

Average Male

$39,263

Average Female

Worcester Earnings by Educational Attainment

Worcester Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Worcester Language

63.01% of Worcester residents speak only English, while 36.99% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 18.11% of the population.

Worcester Language

Worcester Poverty by Race

rate

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19.28%

Overall Poverty Rate

17.87%

Male Poverty Rate

20.67%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Worcester

The race most likely to be in poverty in Worcester is Native, with 72.62% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Worcester is White, with 16.96% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.25%. Among those working part-time, it was 20.85%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 35.68%.

Worcester Poverty

rate

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Worcester Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Worcester Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Worcester Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Worcester Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

34.0%

Overall Marriage Rate

35.8%

Male Marriage Rate

32.3%

Female Marriage Rate

Worcester Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Worcester Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.

Worcester Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Worcester Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

6,440

Number of Veterans

5,826

Male Veterans

614

Female Veterans

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Worcester Veterans by War

count

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Worcester Veterans by Age

count

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Worcester Veterans by Race

Worcester Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

11.3%

Veteran Poverty Rate

29.85%

Veteran Disability Rate

Worcester Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

62.5%

Labor Force Participation

58.6%

Employment Rate

6.2%

Unemployment Rate

Worcester Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Worcester Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Worcester Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

54.17%

Born in Worcester

77.32%

Native Born

21.68%

Foreign Born

10.04%

Non Citizen

11.64%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

77.32% of Worcester residents were born in the United States, with 54.17% having been born in Massachusetts. 10.04% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Worcester Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change

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Worcester Population by Year