PlainZIP

Worcester, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01603

Worcester County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

19,916
1,704/sq mi
$66,049
Median income
$331,300
Median home value
24.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Worcester pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

40th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 29%
home value, US ZIPs
1,704
people per sq mi
50%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01603 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01603 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, home to 19,916 residents across 11.7 square miles, a density of 1,704 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01603 reports a modest median household income of $66,049 (43% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $33,873. Poverty here runs at 17.8%, with unemployment measured at 7.1%. Housing costs here run $331,300 for a typical home value (45% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,372 a month; 49.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.1, and the average commute is 25 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Worcester County, letting you compare 01603 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 01603

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Worcester, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01603.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 01603, Worcester, 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

19,916

Population

11.7

Area (sq mi)

1,704

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 01603?

35.1

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

26.0%

Foreign-Born

White 50.3%
African American 10.7%
Asian 12.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 19.8%
Hispanic or Latino 25.3%

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?

$66,049

Median Household Income

-43% vs state

$33,873

Per Capita Income

17.8%

Poverty Rate

7.1%

Unemployment Rate

25.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01603 ranks nationally

Worcester, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$66,049 40th percentile higher than 40% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 53.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,441

Total Housing Units

8,010

Occupied Units

431

Vacant Units

2.53

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 49.5%
Renter 50.5%

$331,300

Median Home Value

-45% vs state

$1,372

Median Rent

1942

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

+3.5%

YoY Change (2024)

307

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+207%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01603 have increased 3.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +207% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +10.3% 201
2021 +16.0% 233
2022 +11.1% 259
2023 +14.5% 297
2024 +3.5% 307

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 430 business establishments in ZIP 01603, employing approximately 7,333 people with a combined annual payroll of $333,513,000.

430

Businesses

7,333

Employees

$333.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 82 19.1%
Other services (except public administration) 61 14.2%
Health care and social assistance 56 13.0%
Accommodation and food services 46 10.7%
Construction 41 9.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 27 6.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 5.6%
Transportation and warehousing 22 5.1%
Manufacturing 19 4.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 3.5%
Wholesale trade 11 2.6%
Finance and insurance 9 2.1%
Educational services 8 1.9%
Information 4 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.7%

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 01603 vs 01602 →

ZIP 01603 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01603 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 01603 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 01603 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
01602 Worcester, MA 22,819 2.0 mi
01610 Worcester, MA 23,945 1.8 mi
01611 Cherry Valley, MA 2,242 1.7 mi
01501 Auburn, MA 16,075 3.2 mi
01609 Worcester, MA 22,421 3.0 mi
01608 Worcester, MA 3,888 2.5 mi
01607 Worcester, MA 8,351 3.1 mi
01524 Leicester, MA 6,696 3.9 mi
01604 Worcester, MA 34,677 4.0 mi
01520 Holden, MA 13,997 6.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Worcester County

01453 standard
Leominster, MA
Pop: 40,883
01420 standard
Fitchburg, MA
Pop: 40,337
01545 standard
Shrewsbury, MA
Pop: 35,299
01604 standard
Worcester, MA
Pop: 34,677
01757 standard
Milford, MA
Pop: 28,061
01605 standard
Worcester, MA
Pop: 26,221

Related Areas

Worcester County Worcester, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01603 in? ▼
ZIP code 01603 (Worcester) 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 01603? ▼
ZIP code 01603 in Worcester, MA has a population of 19,916 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01603? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01603 is $66,049, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01603? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01603 is $331,300, which is 19% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01603? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01603 is White at 50.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 25.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01603? ▼
ZIP code 01603 has 430 business establishments employing approximately 7,333 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01603? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01603 are: Retail trade (82), Other services (except public administration) (61), Health care and social assistance (56). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01603? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01603 increased by 3.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 207%. 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 01603? ▼
In ZIP code 01603, 53.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.1% 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 01603? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01603 is 25.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 01603? ▼
In ZIP code 01603, approximately 49.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 50.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01603? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01603 is 17.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.