Worcester housing market
Typical home value
$477K
▲ 2.1% 1 yr
Typical rent
$2,105/mo
▲ 1.4% 1 yr
12-month forecast
+1.7%
#320 of 546 metros
Gross rent yield
5.3%
#376 of 546 · U.S. 6.3%
Days to pending
32 days
▲ +3 days 1 yr
Listings with a price cut
28%
▲ +2.9 pts 1 yr
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home is worth $476,551, up 2.1% in a year and up 30% over five years.
- 2Zillow forecasts home values rising 1.7% over the next 12 months (U.S.: +1.1%).
- 3Typical rent is $2,105/mo (+1.4% YoY), a 5.3% gross yield, below the U.S. 6.3%.
- 4At 7.32% with 20% down, the typical home costs $2,619/mo in principal and interest, $514 more than renting.
- 5Homes go under contract in 32 days (+3 days vs last year); 28% of listings have had a price cut.
Market temperature
Buyer's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 42/100, #245 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
How fast homes are selling
For saleNew listings
Affordability
To buy (20% down)To rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Worcester compares
| Measure | Worcester | United States | Rank of 546 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home value, 1-yr change | +2.1% | +1.2% | #282 |
| Home value, 5-yr change | +30.1% | +19.7% | |
| 12-month forecast | +1.7% | +1.1% | #320 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +1.4% | +2.7% | #450 |
| Gross rent yield | 5.3% | 6.3% | #376 |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 18.9 | 15.8 | |
| Mortgage P&I on typical home | $2,619 | $2,012 | |
| Income needed to buy | $133,096 | $100,902 | |
| Days to pending | 32 | 56 |
Cities in the Worcester metro
7 cities with home value and rent data.
| Worcester | $433K | ▲ 1.6% | $2,122 | ▲ 1.4% | 5.9% |
| Leominster | $467K | ▲ 1.6% | $1,885 | ▲ 2.4% | 4.8% |
| Fitchburg | $400K | ▲ 1.4% | $1,859 | ▲ 0.7% | 5.6% |
| Shrewsbury | $686K | ▲ 0.5% | $2,350 | ▲ 0.1% | 4.1% |
| Milford | $557K | ▲ 2.6% | $2,281 | ▼ 0.2% | 4.9% |
| Westborough | $727K | ▲ 0.1% | $2,526 | ▲ 5.0% | 4.2% |
| Gardner | $373K | ▲ 1.5% | $1,676 | ▲ 3.9% | 5.4% |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Worcester rental ($477K, $2,105/mo), pre-filled.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a typical Worcester home.
Rent vs buy
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Worcester?
Other Massachusetts metros
Boston, MA
$726K home$2,987 rent4.9% yield
▲ 2.1% 1 yr
Springfield, MA
$372K home$1,963 rent6.3% yield
▲ 3.3% 1 yr
Barnstable Town, MA
$757K home$2,578 rent4.1% yield
▲ 2.9% 1 yr
Pittsfield, MA
$390K home$1,757 rent5.4% yield
▲ 1.6% 1 yr
Gross yield = 12 × typical rent ÷ typical home value, before expenses. Mortgage estimate: 20% down, 30-year fixed at the current Freddie Mac average, principal and interest only. Forecast: Zillow Home Value Forecast. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.