Massachusetts Living Index
Worcester
Central MA · pop. 207,055
New England's second city, ten colleges, a Triple-A ballpark, and a downtown comeback that's finally landing.
City LifeCollege TownUrban Walker
Livability Index
64
/ 100
Ranks #83 of 194 MA towns
The numbers
Median home
$374k
5.3× household income
Household income
$70k
ACS median
Commute to Boston
55 min
peak driving
Population
207,055
5-yr trend 60/100
How Worcester scores
Schools
67
Safety
50
Walkability
50
Transit
39
Biking
34
Dining
80
Nightlife
75
Arts & Culture
75
Green Space
60
Diversity
96
Climate
64
The honest read
Best for
Young professionals priced out of Boston and graduate students.
The tradeoff
An hour to Boston by rail and a long climb to match Boston job density.
Compare on your terms
These scores reflect a neutral weighting. Your priorities are not neutral. Open the full atlas to tune schools, walkability, affordability, commute, and seven more dimensions, and see where Worcester lands for you.
Nearby towns
Bordering and adjacent Massachusetts towns near Worcester.
Popular comparisons
Common head‑to‑heads people search when looking at Worcester.
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