PlainZIP

Worcester, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01609

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

22,421
2,266/sq mi
$68,381
Median income
$444,000
Median home value
50.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Worcester pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

44th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 17%
home value, US ZIPs
2,266
people per sq mi
40%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01609 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01609 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, with 22,421 residents across 9.9 square miles, a density of 2,266 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01609 reports a modest median household income of $68,381 (41% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $40,434. Poverty here runs at 23.8%, with unemployment measured at 7.7%. Housing costs here run $444,000 for a typical home value (26% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,275 a month; 40.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 50.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.4, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 01609, plus 6 more within Worcester County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 01609

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Worcester, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01609.

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 01609, 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

22,421

Population

9.9

Area (sq mi)

2,266

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 01609?

29.4

Median Age

51.5%

Male

48.5%

Female

22.3%

Foreign-Born

White 63.5%
African American 8.5%
Asian 9.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 12.7%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%

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?

$68,381

Median Household Income

-41% vs state

$40,434

Per Capita Income

23.8%

Poverty Rate

7.7%

Unemployment Rate

21.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01609 ranks nationally

Worcester, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$68,381 44th percentile higher than 44% 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 70.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 50.5%

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

What does housing look like?

8,910

Total Housing Units

7,891

Occupied Units

1,019

Vacant Units

2.17

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 40.1%
Renter 59.9%

$444,000

Median Home Value

-26% vs state

$1,275

Median Rent

1949

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

+4.8%

YoY Change (2024)

238

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+138%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01609 have increased 4.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +138% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.1% 161
2021 +15.1% 185
2022 +10.6% 205
2023 +11.2% 227
2024 +4.8% 238

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 485 business establishments in ZIP 01609, employing approximately 10,134 people with a combined annual payroll of $463,223,000.

485

Businesses

10,134

Employees

$463.2M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 116 23.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 70 14.4%
Accommodation and food services 56 11.6%
Other services (except public administration) 54 11.1%
Retail trade 40 8.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 6.2%
Construction 23 4.7%
Finance and insurance 22 4.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 22 4.5%
Transportation and warehousing 11 2.3%
Educational services 11 2.3%
Wholesale trade 10 2.1%
Information 9 1.9%
Manufacturing 5 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.0%

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 01609 vs 01602 →

ZIP 01609 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 01609 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 01609 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 01609 ranks #7 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 1.4 mi
01605 Worcester, MA 26,221 2.1 mi
01608 Worcester, MA 3,888 2.2 mi
01603 Worcester, MA 19,916 3.0 mi
01610 Worcester, MA 23,945 2.9 mi
01606 Worcester, MA 19,077 2.6 mi
01520 Holden, MA 13,997 3.6 mi
01604 Worcester, MA 34,677 4.0 mi
01611 Cherry Valley, MA 2,242 4.1 mi
01607 Worcester, MA 8,351 4.6 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 01609 in? ▼
ZIP code 01609 (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 01609? ▼
ZIP code 01609 in Worcester, MA has a population of 22,421 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01609? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01609 is $68,381, which is 10% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01609? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01609 is $444,000, which is 60% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01609? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01609 is White at 63.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 17.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01609? ▼
ZIP code 01609 has 485 business establishments employing approximately 10,134 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01609? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01609 are: Health care and social assistance (116), Professional, scientific, and technical services (70), Accommodation and food services (56). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01609? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01609 increased by 4.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 138%. 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 01609? ▼
In ZIP code 01609, 70.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 50.5% 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 01609? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01609 is 21.4 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 01609? ▼
In ZIP code 01609, approximately 40.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 59.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01609? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01609 is 23.8% 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.