Worcester County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.6 | 866,866 people · 7th most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Worcester County, MA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.6 — 1701st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Massachusetts, it ranks 7th of 14 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Worcester County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 85.5 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 85.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Employment & Wages 77.5
Unemployment Rate 80
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 63
Income & Poverty 33.8
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 27
Debt & Delinquency 33.7
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 30
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Community Vulnerability 12.4
Uninsured Rate 1
Disability Rate 24

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Worcester County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Worcester County
Worcester County, MA 48.6 Normal —
Hampden County, MA 68.5 Serious +19.9
Providence County, RI 58.4 Elevated +9.8
Franklin County, MA 57.7 Elevated +9.1
Hampshire County, MA 48.8 Normal +0.2
Cheshire County, NH 45.4 Normal -3.2
Hillsborough County, NH 38.1 Normal -10.5
Norfolk County, MA 35.8 Normal -12.8
Middlesex County, MA 33.3 Healthy -15.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Worcester County
Baltimore County, MD 48.6 Normal +0.0
Ventura County, CA 48.6 Normal +0.0
St. Tammany Parish, LA 48.5 Normal -0.1
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT 48.5 Normal -0.1
Davidson County, TN 48.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Worcester County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Worcester County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Worcester County.

NEWVUE COMMUNITIES, INC.
Fitchburg
978-342-9561 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - WORCESTER, MA
Worcester
602-627-6222 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing
RCAP SOLUTIONS, INC.
Worcester
978-630-6734
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in Massachusetts →

Find an Attorney

Massachusetts Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Massachusetts Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 617-654-0400 (Boston); 1-800-392-6164 (statewide)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Worcester County residents at no cost.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) 617-603-1700
Massachusetts Legal Aid (MLA) — Statewide Hotline 617-603-1700 (GBLS); see MassLegalHelp.org for regional offices
South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) 508-979-7150 (New Bedford); 508-775-7020 (Hyannis)
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau 617-495-4408
Community Legal Aid, Inc. (508) 752-3718
Northeast Legal Aid, Inc. (978) 458-1465
Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association (617) 603-1700

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Massachusetts →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Worcester County, Massachusetts?

    Worcester County has a County Distress Index score of 48.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,701st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Worcester County?

    The primary driver of distress in Worcester County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 85.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Worcester County compare to neighboring counties?

    Worcester County (48.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Hampden County, MA (68.5); Providence County, RI (58.4); Franklin County, MA (57.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Worcester County?

    Worcester County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 866,866 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.