Worcester County, Massachusetts Housing Market Prices
Worcester County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 29% below the Massachusetts median Among the top 5 cheapest counties in Massachusetts$351,801
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Median rent 19% below the Massachusetts median$1,425
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Worcester County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $351,801 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 8.8% | 6.6% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,425 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Worcester County is about 29% lower than in Massachusetts. Rent is about 19% lower than the Massachusetts average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Worcester County, up about 8.8% and 5.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Worcester County rose about 52.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $934 to $1,425. Over the same span, rent in Massachusetts rose about 59.8%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.7 yearly household incomes in Worcester County.
Buying the median-priced home in Worcester County costs roughly 20.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Worcester County. The price-to-rent ratio in Massachusetts is about 23.4.
| Metric | Worcester County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $351,801 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $95,680 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.7 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Worcester County rose about 91.5%, while median household income rose about 46.0% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Worcester County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% | 57.5% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 32.4% | 34.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.5% | 8.1% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2010 | 2011 |
Worcester County has a homeownership rate of 62.2%, higher than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.5%, compared with 8.1% in Massachusetts.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Worcester County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.50 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1966 | 1963 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Worcester County was built around 1966. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 5.7 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Worcester County, MA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Worcester County, MA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 867,628 residents against a local median of 426,152. Where Worcester County, MA breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 23% above the local median of $286,603 at $351,801.
The counties themselves spread $520,185 on median home price, so Worcester County, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Worcester County, MA has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester County, MA | 867,628 | $351,801 #2/6 | $1,425 #3/6 | 65.8% #4/6 |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 78,384 | $198,249 | $1,142 | 78.9% |
| Middlesex County, MA | 1,636,094 | $718,434 | $2,200 | 61.3% |
| Providence County, RI | 663,899 | $301,192 | $1,311 | 57.0% |
| Hillsborough County, NH | 426,152 | $286,603 | $1,623 | 67.4% |
| Cheshire County, NH | 77,281 | $208,297 | $1,276 | 72.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Worcester County, Massachusetts.
What is the median home price in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
The median home price in Worcester County, Massachusetts is $351,801, lower than the Massachusetts average of $494,523.
What is the average home price in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
The typical home price in Worcester County, Massachusetts, reported as the median sale price, is $351,801. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
The median gross rent in Worcester County, Massachusetts is $1,425 per month, lower than the Massachusetts average of $1,761.
What was the median gross rent in Worcester County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Worcester County, Massachusetts was $1,074 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
The price-to-rent ratio in Worcester County, Massachusetts is about 20.6, meaning it would take roughly 20.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Worcester County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Worcester County, up about 8.8% and 5.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
62.2% of households in Worcester County, Massachusetts own their home, higher than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
The housing vacancy rate in Worcester County, Massachusetts is 5.5%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 8.1%.
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