Leicester, MA · standard
ZIP Code 01524
Worcester County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,696
- 162/sq mi High-density area
- $102,099
- Median income Above-median income area
- $436,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 32.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Leicester pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 18%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 17%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 162
- people per sq mi
- 92%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01524 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 01524 (Leicester, MA) rose +4.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 258.3 in 2023 to 269.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 01524 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Leicester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, home to 6,696 residents across 41.4 square miles, a density of 162 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 01524 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $102,099 (12% below the average Massachusetts ZIP), while per-capita income is $42,669. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 5.1% and unemployment is 2.8%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $436,200 (27% below the average Massachusetts ZIP), and median rent is $1,661; owner occupancy is 92.4%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Worcester County, so 01524 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 01524
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Leicester, MA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01524.
- Construction
Construction
29 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
16 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
14 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
13 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 10
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
10 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 01524, Leicester, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
6,696
Population
41.4
Area (sq mi)
162
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 01524?
42.0
Median Age
52.5%
Male
47.5%
Female
7.2%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$102,099
Median Household Income
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$42,669
Per Capita Income
5.1%
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Unemployment Rate
26.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 01524 ranks among Massachusetts ZIPs
Leicester, MA household income vs. every Massachusetts ZIP code
Median household income among 505 reporting Massachusetts ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$102,099 41st percentile higher than 41% of 505 Massachusetts ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Massachusetts ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,416housing units
2,416
Total Housing Units
2,225
Occupied Units
191
Vacant Units
2.78
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$436,200
Median Home Value
-27% vs state ZIP avg
$1,661
Median Rent
1970
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+4.4%
YoY Change (2024)
270
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+170%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 01524 have increased 4.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +170% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.8% | 183 |
| 2021 | +12.7% | 206 |
| 2022 | +15.2% | 237 |
| 2023 | +8.8% | 258 |
| 2024 | +4.4% | 270 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 118 business establishments in ZIP 01524, employing approximately 1,128 people with a combined annual payroll of $41,738,000.
118
Businesses
1,128
Employees
$41.7M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 29 | 24.6% |
| Retail trade | 16 | 13.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 14 | 11.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 13 | 11.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 8.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 9 | 7.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 9 | 7.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 4.2% |
| Information | 4 | 3.4% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 2.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 2.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 01524 vs 01611 →
ZIP 01524 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 01610
Worcester (01610)
23,945 residents
- 01602
Worcester (01602)
22,819 residents
- 01609
Worcester (01609)
22,421 residents
- 01603
Worcester (01603)
19,916 residents
- 01501
Auburn (01501)
16,075 residents
- 01562
Spencer (01562)
11,688 residents
- 01524 6,696
Leicester (01524)
6,696 residents
- 01612 4,845
Paxton (01612)
4,845 residents
- 01537 2,248
North Oxford (01537)
2,248 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01524 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 01524 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 01612
Paxton (01612)
$134,083 median income
- 01501
Auburn (01501)
$116,762 median income
- 01611
Cherry Valley (01611)
$109,868 median income
- 01537
North Oxford (01537)
$102,956 median income
- 01524
Leicester (01524)
$102,099 median income
- 01542
Rochdale (01542)
$96,111 median income
- 01602
Worcester (01602)
$91,764 median income
- 01562
Spencer (01562)
$80,533 median income
- 01609
Worcester (01609)
$68,381 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 01524 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01611 | Cherry Valley, MA | 2,242 | 2.3 mi |
| 01542 | Rochdale, MA | 2,202 | 3.3 mi |
| 01612 | Paxton, MA | 4,845 | 4.3 mi |
| 01562 | Spencer, MA | 11,688 | 3.7 mi |
| 01603 | Worcester, MA | 19,916 | 3.9 mi |
| 01602 | Worcester, MA | 22,819 | 3.9 mi |
| 01610 | Worcester, MA | 23,945 | 5.6 mi |
| 01537 | North Oxford, MA | 2,248 | 6.2 mi |
| 01501 | Auburn, MA | 16,075 | 5.2 mi |
| 01609 | Worcester, MA | 22,421 | 5.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 01524, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (6,696 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Worcester County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 01524 in?
ZIP code 01524 (Leicester) is located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Worcester County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/worcester-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 01524?
ZIP code 01524 in Leicester, MA has a population of 6,696 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01524?
The median household income in ZIP 01524 is $102,099, which is 34% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01524?
The median home value in ZIP 01524 is $436,200, which is 57% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01524?
The largest racial group in ZIP 01524 is White at 83.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01524?
ZIP code 01524 has 118 business establishments employing approximately 1,128 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01524?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01524 are: Construction (29), Retail trade (16), Health care and social assistance (14). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01524?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01524 increased by 4.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 170%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 01524?
In ZIP code 01524, 54.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 01524?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01524 is 26.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 01524?
In ZIP code 01524, approximately 92.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01524?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01524 is 5.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 01524's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 01524 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Leicester, MA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.