Middlesex County vs Worcester County
A side-by-side comparison of Middlesex County and Worcester County: population, income, housing, and more.
Middlesex County and Worcester County are counties in Massachusetts. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Middlesex County has the higher population (1,622,896 vs 861,664 in Worcester County). Middlesex County has the higher median household income ($126,779 vs $93,561 in Worcester County). Middlesex County has the higher median home value ($687,200 vs $390,700 in Worcester County).
Population, income & housing
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,622,896 | 861,664 |
| Median age | 38.9 yrs | 40.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $126,779 | $93,561 |
| Median home value | $687,200 | $390,700 |
| Median gross rent | $2,126 | $1,347 |
| Housing units | 660,814 | 353,405 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 65.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.0% | 39.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,600,842 → 1,622,896 (+1.4%) | 824,772 → 861,664 (+4.5%) |
| Median household income | $102,603 → $126,779 (+23.6%) | $74,679 → $93,561 (+25.3%) |
| Median home value | $500,700 → $687,200 (+37.2%) | $280,600 → $390,700 (+39.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,636 → $2,126 (+30.0%) | $1,060 → $1,347 (+27.1%) |
Middlesex County
1,600,8421,622,896
$102,603$126,779
$500,700$687,200
$1,636$2,126
Worcester County
824,772861,664
$74,679$93,561
$280,600$390,700
$1,060$1,347
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.5% | 15.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.6% | 9.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.1% | 13.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.8% | 12.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.1% | 14.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 10.0% |
| 75 and over | 6.7% | 6.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.7% | 71.8% |
| Black or African American | 4.8% | 4.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 13.1% | 5.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| Two or more races | 5.0% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% | 13.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.6% | 8.7% |
| High school graduate | 17.5% | 26.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 17.0% | 25.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 28.8% | 22.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 30.2% | 16.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 56.0% | 71.8% |
| Carpooled | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| Public transit | 8.0% | 1.5% |
| Walked | 4.2% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.6% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 22.2% | 14.3% |
| Other means | 1.6% | 2.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 46.9% | 57.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 6.9% | 6.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 20.6% | 19.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.7% | 9.0% |
| 20 or more units | 15.3% | 7.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.4% | 0.8% |
Poverty & households
| Middlesex County | Worcester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 10.3% |
| Average household size | 2.48 | 2.50 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 30 | 30 |
| Median year structure built | 1961 | 1966 |
Full profiles
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