PlainZIP

Worcester, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01605

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

26,221
1,795/sq mi
$54,642
Median income
$392,100
Median home value
33.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Worcester pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 21%
home value, US ZIPs
1,795
people per sq mi
30%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01605 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01605 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, with 26,221 residents across 14.6 square miles, a density of 1,795 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01605 reports a modest median household income of $54,642 (53% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $31,308. The poverty rate stands at 21.4% and the unemployment rate at 7.9%. Housing costs here run $392,100 for a typical home value (35% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,421 a month; 30.3% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 01605 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Worcester County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 01605

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Worcester, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01605.

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 01605, 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

26,221

Population

14.6

Area (sq mi)

1,795

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 01605?

32.0

Median Age

47.2%

Male

52.8%

Female

22.5%

Foreign-Born

White 45.8%
African American 14.4%
Asian 4.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 25.1%
Hispanic or Latino 36.1%

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?

$54,642

Median Household Income

-53% vs state

$31,308

Per Capita Income

21.4%

Poverty Rate

7.9%

Unemployment Rate

24.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01605 ranks nationally

Worcester, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$54,642 21st percentile higher than 21% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 64.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.4%

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

What does housing look like?

12,574

Total Housing Units

11,722

Occupied Units

852

Vacant Units

2.51

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 30.3%
Renter 69.7%

$392,100

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

$1,421

Median Rent

1957

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

+2.5%

YoY Change (2024)

286

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+186%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01605 have increased 2.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +186% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.8% 188
2021 +13.5% 213
2022 +13.4% 242
2023 +15.2% 279
2024 +2.5% 286

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 599 business establishments in ZIP 01605, employing approximately 19,786 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,427,741,000.

599

Businesses

19,786

Employees

$1.4B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 150 25.0%
Retail trade 72 12.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 64 10.7%
Finance and insurance 47 7.8%
Accommodation and food services 47 7.8%
Construction 46 7.7%
Other services (except public administration) 42 7.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 28 4.7%
Wholesale trade 22 3.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 19 3.2%
Manufacturing 16 2.7%
Transportation and warehousing 15 2.5%
Educational services 10 1.7%
Information 9 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.5%

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 01605 vs 01606 →

ZIP 01605 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 01605 ranks #3 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 01605 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 01605 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
01606 Worcester, MA 19,077 1.8 mi
01608 Worcester, MA 3,888 2.0 mi
01609 Worcester, MA 22,421 2.1 mi
01604 Worcester, MA 34,677 2.8 mi
01607 Worcester, MA 8,351 4.3 mi
01610 Worcester, MA 23,945 3.2 mi
01545 Shrewsbury, MA 35,299 3.7 mi
01602 Worcester, MA 22,819 3.4 mi
01583 West Boylston, MA 7,591 5.6 mi
01603 Worcester, MA 19,916 4.3 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
01610 standard
Worcester, MA
Pop: 23,945

Related Areas

Worcester County Worcester, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01605 in? ▼
ZIP code 01605 (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 01605? ▼
ZIP code 01605 in Worcester, MA has a population of 26,221 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01605? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01605 is $54,642, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01605? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01605 is $392,100, which is 41% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01605? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01605 is White at 45.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 36.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01605? ▼
ZIP code 01605 has 599 business establishments employing approximately 19,786 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01605? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01605 are: Health care and social assistance (150), Retail trade (72), Professional, scientific, and technical services (64). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01605? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01605 increased by 2.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 186%. 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 01605? ▼
In ZIP code 01605, 64.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.4% 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 01605? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01605 is 24.0 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 01605? ▼
In ZIP code 01605, approximately 30.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 69.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01605? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01605 is 21.4% 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.