Worcester, MA · standard
ZIP Code 01606
Worcester County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 19,077
- 1,243/sq mi
- $92,105
- Median income
- $370,800
- Median home value
- 44.5%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Worcester pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 25%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 24%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,243
- people per sq mi
- 68%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01606 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 01606 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, home to 19,077 residents across 15.4 square miles, a density of 1,243 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 01606 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,105 (20% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $46,282. 9.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.4%. Median home value sits at $370,800 (38% below the state average), median rent at $1,584 a month, and owner-occupancy at 67.8%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 44.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.2, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 01606 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 01606
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Worcester, MA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01606.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
72 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
62 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
52 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
39 establishments
- Construction
Construction
38 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 01606, 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
19,077
Population
15.4
Area (sq mi)
1,243
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 01606?
39.2
Median Age
48.2%
Male
51.8%
Female
18.1%
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?
$92,105
Median Household Income
-20% vs state
$46,282
Per Capita Income
9.2%
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Unemployment Rate
24.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 01606 ranks nationally
Worcester, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$92,105 Top 25% higher than 75% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
9,563
Total Housing Units
9,192
Occupied Units
371
Vacant Units
2.44
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$370,800
Median Home Value
-38% vs state
$1,584
Median Rent
1954
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
+7.6%
YoY Change (2024)
286
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+186%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 01606 have increased 7.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +186% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.7% | 187 |
| 2021 | +14.7% | 214 |
| 2022 | +12.7% | 241 |
| 2023 | +10.0% | 266 |
| 2024 | +7.6% | 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 456 business establishments in ZIP 01606, employing approximately 9,380 people with a combined annual payroll of $533,383,000.
456
Businesses
9,380
Employees
$533.4M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 72 | 15.8% |
| Retail trade | 62 | 13.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 52 | 11.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 39 | 8.6% |
| Construction | 38 | 8.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 36 | 7.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 29 | 6.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 22 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 20 | 4.4% |
| Manufacturing | 19 | 4.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 18 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 14 | 3.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 12 | 2.6% |
| Information | 11 | 2.4% |
| Educational services | 8 | 1.8% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.9% |
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 01606 vs 01605 →
ZIP 01606 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
- 01606
Worcester (01606)
19,077 residents
- 01520 13,997
Holden (01520)
13,997 residents
- 01607 8,351
Worcester (01607)
8,351 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01606 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 01606 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 01520
Holden (01520)
$148,125 median income
- 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
- 01605 $54,642
Worcester (01605)
$54,642 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 01606 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01605 | Worcester, MA | 26,221 | 1.8 mi |
| 01608 | Worcester, MA | 3,888 | 3.6 mi |
| 01609 | Worcester, MA | 22,421 | 2.6 mi |
| 01583 | West Boylston, MA | 7,591 | 3.9 mi |
| 01520 | Holden, MA | 13,997 | 3.3 mi |
| 01610 | Worcester, MA | 23,945 | 4.7 mi |
| 01604 | Worcester, MA | 34,677 | 4.6 mi |
| 01607 | Worcester, MA | 8,351 | 6.0 mi |
| 01602 | Worcester, MA | 22,819 | 4.0 mi |
| 01545 | Shrewsbury, MA | 35,299 | 4.6 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Worcester County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 01606 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 01606? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 01606? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 01606? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01606? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01606? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01606? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01606? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 01606? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 01606? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 01606? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01606? ▼
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.