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 High-density area
- $54,642
- Median income Below-median income area
- $392,100
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 33.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Worcester pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.
- 21st 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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 01605 (Worcester, MA) rose +2.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 278.6 in 2023 to 285.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Massachusetts ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,308. The poverty rate is 21.4%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $392,100 (35% below the average Massachusetts ZIP), and median rent is $1,421; owner occupancy is 30.3%.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Worcester County, so 01605 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 01605
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Worcester, MA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01605.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
150 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
72 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
64 establishments
- Finance and insurance 47
Finance and insurance
47 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 47
Accommodation and food services
47 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 01605?
32.0
Median Age
47.2%
Male
52.8%
Female
22.5%
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?
$54,642
Median Household Income
-53% vs state ZIP avg
$31,308
Per Capita Income
21.4%
Poverty Rate
7.9%
Unemployment Rate
24.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 01605 ranks among Massachusetts ZIPs
Worcester, 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)
$54,642 4th percentile higher than 4% 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
12,574housing units
12,574
Total Housing Units
11,722
Occupied Units
852
Vacant Units
2.51
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$392,100
Median Home Value
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 01545
Shrewsbury (01545)
35,299 residents
- 01604
Worcester (01604)
34,677 residents
- 01605
Worcester (01605)
26,221 residents
- 01610
Worcester (01610)
23,945 residents
- 01602
Worcester (01602)
22,819 residents
- 01609
Worcester (01609)
22,421 residents
- 01603
Worcester (01603)
19,916 residents
- 01606
Worcester (01606)
19,077 residents
- 01607 8,351
Worcester (01607)
8,351 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01605 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 01605 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 01545
Shrewsbury (01545)
$139,302 median income
- 01583
West Boylston (01583)
$106,094 median income
- 01606
Worcester (01606)
$92,105 median income
- 01602
Worcester (01602)
$91,764 median income
- 01607
Worcester (01607)
$78,727 median income
- 01604
Worcester (01604)
$73,505 median income
- 01609
Worcester (01609)
$68,381 median income
- 01603
Worcester (01603)
$66,049 median income
- 01605 $54,642
Worcester (01605)
$54,642 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 01605, 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 (26,221 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 01605's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 01605 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Worcester, 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.