Housing decision brief
Worcester County, MA Housing Market
Worcester County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
5th lowest home value out of 14 Massachusetts counties with data | 7th lowest rent out of 14
Median home value
$423,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,426/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,932/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.3%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$506/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$423,700 median home value is 28% below Massachusetts county median
Lower rent
$1,426/mo is 8% below Massachusetts county median
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.28% effective property-tax rate is 28% above Massachusetts county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Worcester County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $423,700 | $587,550 | $281,900 | 28% favorable28% below Massachusetts county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,426 | $1,552 | $1,163 | 8% favorable8% below Massachusetts county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,932 | $2,106 | $1,672 | 8% favorable8% below Massachusetts county median |
Median household income | $95,939 | $95,785 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Massachusetts county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.28% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 28% pressure28% above Massachusetts county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.30% | 32.00% | N/A | 5% favorable30.30% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$38,899
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$13,139
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Worcester County is affordable. The median rent is $1,347/month against a median household income of $93,561, putting rent at 17.3% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Worcester County pay $1,347/month on average, compared to $1,899/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 29%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $53,880/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $81,386/year. With a median household income of $93,561, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Worcester County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Bristol County where rent averages $1,181/month, Worcester County is approximately 14% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire County, MA | $390,300 | $1,388/mo | Same-state comparison near $390,300 home value and $1,388/mo rent. |
| Bristol County, MA | $451,200 | $1,245/mo | Same-state comparison near $451,200 home value and $1,245/mo rent. |
| Wilson County, TN | $428,000 | $1,486/mo | Out-of-state peer near $428,000 home value and $1,486/mo rent. |
| Culpeper County, VA | $409,200 | $1,423/mo | Out-of-state peer near $409,200 home value and $1,423/mo rent. |
| Grand Isle County, VT | $394,100 | $1,425/mo | Out-of-state peer near $394,100 home value and $1,425/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Worcester County
Is Worcester County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Worcester County?
How much income do you need for housing in Worcester County?
What should I double-check before moving to Worcester County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.