Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Worcester County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $347,315 | $478,681 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 9.9% | 7.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,347 | $1,687 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.1% | 5.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Worcester County is about 27% lower than in Massachusetts. Rent is about 20% lower than the Massachusetts average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Worcester County, up about 9.9% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Worcester County rose about 44.2% between 2015 and 2023, from $934 to $1,347. Over the same span, rent in Massachusetts rose about 53.1%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.7 yearly household incomes in Worcester County.
Buying the median-priced home in Worcester County costs roughly 21.5 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 23.6.
| Metric | Worcester County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $347,315 | $478,681 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $93,608 | $101,501 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.7 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Worcester County rose about 89.0%, while median household income rose about 46.4% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 | 61.9% | 57.4% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 32.4% | 34.3% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.7% | 8.4% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2010 | 2011 |
Worcester County has a homeownership rate of 61.9%, higher than the Massachusetts average of 57.4%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.7%, compared with 8.4% in Massachusetts.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Worcester County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.50 people | 2.45 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1966 | 1962 | 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.
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 $347,315, lower than the Massachusetts average of $478,681.
What is the average home price in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. 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 $1,347 per month, lower than the Massachusetts average of $1,687.
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 21.5, meaning it would take roughly 21.5 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 9.9% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
61.9% of households in Worcester County, Massachusetts own their home, higher than the Massachusetts average of 57.4%.
What is the vacancy rate in Worcester County, Massachusetts?
The housing vacancy rate in Worcester County, Massachusetts is 5.7%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 8.4%.