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Wikipedia / Worcester County, Massachusetts

Worcester County ( ) is located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 862,111, making it the second-most populous county in Massachusetts. Being 1,510.6 square miles of land area, it is the largest county in Massachusetts by geographic area. The largest city and traditional shire town is Worcester. Worcester County is part of the Worcester, MA–CT metropolitan statistical area and the Boston-Worcester-Providence combined statistical area.

History

Worcester County was formed from the eastern portion of colonial Hampshire County, the western portion of the original Middlesex County and the extreme western portion of the original Suffolk County. When the government of Worcester County was established on April 2, 1731, Worcester was chosen as its shire town (later known as a county seat). From that date until the dissolution of the county government, it was the only county seat. Because of the size of the county, there were fifteen attempts over 140 years to split the county into two counties, but without success.

Initially, Lancaster was proposed as the seat of the northern county; later, Petersham was proposed once and Fitchburg was proposed repeatedly, most recently in 1903. Perhaps as a concession, in August 1884 the Worcester County Registry of Deeds was split in two, with the Worcester Northern registry placed in Fitchburg.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (4.3%) is water.

It is the largest county in Massachusetts by area. The county is larger geographically than the entire state of Rhode Island even including Rhode Island's water ocean limit boundaries. The county constitutes Central Massachusetts, separating the Greater Springfield area from the Greater Boston area. It stretches from the northern to the southern border of the state. The geographic center of Massachusetts is in Rutland.

Worcester County is one of two Massachusetts counties that borders three different neighboring states; (New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island); the other being Berkshire County. They are also the only two counties to touch both the northern and southern state lines.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 862,111. Of the residents, 20.7% were under the age of 18 and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.0 males. 78.8% of residents lived in urban areas and 21.2% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 73.6% White, 5.6% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 6.4% from some other race, and 8.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 13.0% of the population.

There were 331,797 households in the county, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 351,764 housing units, of which 5.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.8% were owner-occupied and 36.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.4%.

Racial and ethnic composition

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

Pop 1980

Pop 1990

Pop 2000

Pop 2010

Pop 2020

% 1980

% 1990

% 2000

% 2010

% 2020

White alone (NH)

618,636

650,265

649,227

644,299

611,207

95.71%

91.62%

86.45%

80.68%

70.90%

Black or African American alone (NH)

8,419

13,478

18,257

29,084

44,222

1.30%

1.90%

2.43%

3.64%

5.13%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

897

1,267

1,499

1,298

1,146

0.14%

0.18%

0.20%

0.16%

0.13%

Asian alone (NH)

2,840

11,134

19,561

31,597

46,110

0.44%

1.57%

2.60%

3.96%

5.35%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

x

x

188

178

176

x

x

0.03%

0.02%

0.02%

Other race alone (NH)

1,343

621

1,686

3,634

9,424

0.21%

0.09%

0.22%

0.46%

1.09%

Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

x

x

9,681

13,040

37,924

x

x

1.29%

1.63%

4.40%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

14,217

32,940

50,864

75,422

111,902

2.20%

4.64%

6.77%

9.44%

12.98%

Total

646,352

709,705

750,963

798,552

862,111

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

Worcester County, Massachusetts – Racial and ethnic composition

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 798,552people, 303,080households, and 202,602families in the county. The population density was . There were 326,788 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 85.6% white, 4.2% black or African American, 4.0% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 3.6% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 9.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 22.2% were Irish, 15.1% were French as well as 6.7% French Canadians, 14.4% were Italian, 11.7% were English, 7.0% were Polish, 6.9% were German, and 3.2% were American.

Of the 303,080households, 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.2% were non-families, and 26.2% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age was 39.2 years.

The median household income was $64,152 and the median family income was $79,121. Males had a median income of $56,880 versus $42,223 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,557. About 6.9% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families in the county. The population density was . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.61% White, 2.73% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 2.62% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.93% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 6.77%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 15.9% were of Irish, 12.3% Italian, 11.7% French, 8.0% French Canadian, 8.0% English, 5.6% Polish and 5.0% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 85.1% spoke English, 6.1% Spanish and 1.9% French as their first language.

Of the 283,927 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. In addition, 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56, and the average family size was 3.11.

The age distribution was 25.60% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median household income was $47,874 and the median family income was $58,394. Males had a median income of $42,261 versus $30,516 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,983. About 6.80% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

Demographic breakdown by town

Income

The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective of the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

Rank

Town

Per capitaincome

Medianhouseholdincome

Medianfamilyincome

Population

Number ofhouseholds

1

Southborough

Town

$57,436

$142,520

$161,419

9,671

3,285

2

Bolton

Town

$52,282

$137,120

$149,120

4,827

1,583

3

Boylston

Town

$52,129

$91,734

$110,321

4,320

1,676

Cordaville

CDP

$51,707

$151,836

$175,217

2,558

845

4

Harvard

Town

$50,971

$142,411

$161,250

6,483

1,822

5

Northborough

Town

$47,953

$104,420

$122,592

14,180

5,114

6

Westborough

Town

$46,631

$99,394

$127,052

18,285

6,720

7

Sterling

Town

$44,089

$102,270

$117,240

7,768

2,811

8

Princeton

Town

$43,836

$108,319

$123,864

3,412

1,253

9

Sutton

Town

$43,275

$107,500

$116,288

8,908

3,128

10

Upton

Town

$43,252

$110,083

$132,703

7,364

2,588

11

Berlin

Town

$41,503

$94,712

$99,375

2,819

1,029

Sturbridge

CDP

$41,479

$77,692

$93,167

2,027

860

Westborough

CDP

$40,901

$71,731

$87,375

3,883

1,590

12

Mendon

Town

$40,523

$93,245

$108,173

5,787

2,055

13

Hopedale

Town

$40,422

$98,220

$104,398

5,909

2,275

Barre

CDP

$39,556

$77,602

$102,650

1,053

418

14

Grafton

Town

$39,479

$89,950

$109,729

17,472

6,376

Northborough

CDP

$39,266

$89,033

$108,636

6,226

2,381

Hopedale

CDP

$38,687

$88,974

$101,280

3,947

1,590

15

Holden

Town

$38,639

$89,660

$104,928

17,197

6,296

16

Shrewsbury

Town

$38,223

$88,985

$104,035

35,269

13,095

17

Sturbridge

Town

$37,480

$79,044

$98,693

9,133

3,655

18

Paxton

Town

$37,328

$105,072

$106,625

4,767

1,591

Upton

CDP

$37,247

$92,676

$120,962

2,867

1,099

19

Douglas

Town

$35,931

$81,000

$97,383

8,342

3,206

20

Lunenburg

Town

$35,868

$83,265

$95,000

10,034

3,728

Massachusetts

State

$35,051

$65,981

$83,371

6,512,227

2,522,409

Lunenburg

CDP

$34,770

$73,750

$79,750

1,217

470

21

Lancaster

Town

$34,374

$87,962

$101,196

7,896

2,426

22

Uxbridge

Town

$34,346

$86,912

$94,830

13,233

4,931

23

Barre

Town

$33,647

$73,687

$93,250

5,383

2,065

24

Millbury

Town

$33,467

$77,883

$86,855

13,250

5,166

25

Auburn

Town

$33,447

$73,559

$87,958

16,183

6,318

26

Charlton

Town

$33,250

$91,653

$98,789

12,827

4,306

27

Blackstone

Town

$32,988

$73,586

$87,752

9,028

3,472

South Lancaster

CDP

$32,942

$70,625

$81,167

1,988

766

28

Ashburnham

Town

$32,880

$81,842

$98,056

6,033

2,184

29

Hubbardston

Town

$32,618

$83,333

$95,203

4,341

1,538

30

New Braintree

Town

$32,568

$88,571

$93,458

1,124

380

31

Milford

Town

$32,219

$64,860

$80,127

27,925

10,493

32

Royalston

Town

$32,031

$59,609

$73,125

1,058

455

33

Hardwick

Town

$31,974

$61,298

$72,458

2,953

1,153

Worcester County

County

$31,470

$65,772

$81,342

794,981

299,089

34

Westminster

Town

$31,391

$78,632

$82,596

7,250

2,611

East Brookfield

CDP

$31,316

$66,339

$84,550

1,270

479

35

Oakham

Town

$31,237

$79,700

$83,676

1,822

680

36

Rutland

Town

$30,961

$83,734

$101,486

7,812

2,558

37

Northbridge

Town

$30,945

$68,981

$87,359

15,475

5,538

Milford

CDP

$30,678

$60,840

$72,927

25,194

9,494

38

Clinton

Town

$30,563

$61,796

$77,964

13,614

5,672

39

Leicester

Town

$30,301

$72,471

$80,288

10,934

3,858

Fiskdale

CDP

$30,230

$75,655

$89,595

2,907

1,133

40

Oxford

Town

$30,149

$68,567

$83,161

13,702

5,343

41

North Brookfield

Town

$30,106

$64,009

$76,690

4,686

1,931

42

West Brookfield

Town

$29,782

$62,685

$84,868

3,730

1,488

East Douglas

CDP

$29,760

$73,372

$74,828

2,835

1,146

43

Spencer

Town

$29,687

$59,420

$77,384

11,715

4,686

44

East Brookfield

Town

$29,416

$62,350

$82,750

2,058

737

45

Brookfield

Town

$29,392

$62,390

$77,993

3,363

1,353

46

Millville

Town

$29,049

$73,426

$84,000

3,154

1,060

West Brookfield

CDP

$28,704

$56,625

$95,556

1,853

705

47

West Boylston

Town

$28,547

$73,600

$89,681

7,660

2,308

48

Leominster

City

$28,445

$58,585

$73,704

40,884

16,095

49

Phillipston

Town

$28,273

$74,043

$75,234

1,894

648

North Brookfield

CDP

$28,163

$50,346

$64,181

2,035

912

50

Warren

Town

$28,112

$51,188

$69,873

5,106

2,067

Oxford

CDP

$27,990

$67,054

$79,832

6,566

2,418

United States

Country

$27,915

$52,762

$64,293

306,603,772

114,761,359

South Ashburnham

CDP

$27,758

$76,932

$77,386

1,104

345

51

Petersham

Town

$27,475

$65,781

$81,250

1,263

445

52

Webster

Town

$27,430

$49,621

$65,204

16,752

7,344

53

Dudley

Town

$27,319

$72,500

$78,920

11,276

3,780

Whitinsville

CDP

$27,135

$58,846

$62,314

6,894

2,424

Spencer

CDP

$27,059

$47,183

$66,932

5,392

2,417

54

Templeton

Town

$26,891

$70,116

$75,753

7,896

2,846

Baldwinville

CDP

$26,585

$66,700

$77,061

2,061

750

Clinton

CDP

$26,256

$54,514

$72,859

7,492

3,032

Rutland

CDP

$25,987

$62,500

$78,929

2,352

758

55

Winchendon

Town

$25,845

$58,137

$73,162

10,250

3,743

Warren

CDP

$25,245

$41,200

$71,722

1,408

564

56

Gardner

City

$24,974

$48,108

$63,413

20,323

8,037

57

Worcester

City

$24,544

$45,846

$55,927

180,519

70,248

58

Athol

Town

$24,384

$50,866

$59,095

11,576

4,551

Webster

CDP

$24,109

$43,702

$53,145

11,682

5,195

59

Fitchburg

City

$24,061

$48,064

$55,293

40,286

14,741

60

Southbridge

City

$21,923

$43,965

$52,577

16,800

6,548

Winchendon

CDP

$21,914

$36,711

$52,868

3,860

1,638

Athol

CDP

$21,553

$47,330

$52,139

7,867

3,150

Devens

CDP

$13,933

$72,986

$73,194

1,704

113

Government and politics

Worcester County is one of the 8 (of the total of 14) Massachusetts counties that have had no county government or county commissioners since July 1, 1998, when county functions were assumed by state agencies at local option following a change in state law. The county has an elected county sheriff, county prosecutor, and court officials, administered under the state department of public safety. The state correctional system in the county is known as the Worcester County Jail or "House of Corrections" at West Boylston, and the Worcester County District courts (state administered) are housed at Worcester, Fitchburg, and other district courts within county boundaries. The Worcester County district attorney is a county-wide position, though the district excludes the town of Athol. In Massachusetts, Sheriffs have more limited roles than most states and are responsible for corrections, court service and bailiffs and jail release programs. County Sheriffs in Massachusetts are elected to six-year terms. The Worcester County Sheriff is Lewis Evangelidis (R), and the Worcester County District Attorney is Joseph Early Jr. (D) (see the info-box for elected officials at county level). The Worcester County Conservation District has countywide boundaries. The county has a regional planning commission.

Massachusetts law allows regional compacts, traditional counties and other governmental entities. Traditional County governments in the state include Norfolk, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, and Plymouth Counties. Barnstable County, which is Cape Cod, functions as a modern regional county government. Suffolk County, which is mainly Boston, is under the Boston City Council. The Massachusetts General Laws describe this relationship of county government and the options for abolishing county governments and/or chartering regional governmental compacts in subchapter 34 B. Four other new county compacts have been created by the state legislature in Hampshire, Franklin, Barnstable Counties, and a regional planning council level for Berkshire County. Thus 9 of 14 Counties have some form of county regional governments. Worcester County could exercise that option if it chooses, such as for public safety and/or preparedness due to its rather large geography, by a request to and a special act of the legislature, by local referendum, or by one of three mechanisms. See the references for the state statute, and the League of Women Voters link.

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 17, 2018

Party

Number of voters

Percentage

Democratic

142,910

26.10%

Republican

66,689

12.18%

Unenrolled

329,232

60.12%

Minor Parties

2,231

0.41%

Total

547,585

100%

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

  • Mary Babson Fuhrer, A Crisis of Community: The Trials and Transformation of a New England Town, 1815-1848. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2014.