Worcester County, Massachusetts
319,430 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 3.0% | 9,354 of 307,855 parcels with a known mailing state | 4.8% | 12 of 14 |
| Absentee owners | 22.9% | Estimated from 265,423 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 25.9% | 7 of 13 |
| Vacant lots | 15.8% | 50,543 of 319,430 parcels in all | 12.0% | 6 of 14 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.1% | 410 of 318,966 parcels with an owner name | 0.2% | 8 of 14 |
| Owned by individuals | 80.0% | 255,179 of 318,966 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 7 of 14 |
| Publicly owned | 3.5% | 11,045 of 318,966 parcels with an owner name | 3.5% | 9 of 14 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 9,354 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1,415 | 15.1% |
| New Hampshire | 1,232 | 13.2% |
| Connecticut | 1,193 | 12.8% |
| Rhode Island | 746 | 8.0% |
| New York | 739 | 7.9% |
| Texas | 664 | 7.1% |
| California | 499 | 5.3% |
| Maine | 247 | 2.6% |
| New Jersey | 230 | 2.5% |
| North Carolina | 217 | 2.3% |
| 42 other states and territories | 2,115 | 22.6% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 5 | 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 52 | 0.6% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,749/month | $2,227/month (median county) | 11 of 14 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +63.5% | +48.1% (median county) | 2 of 14 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $423,700 | $587,550 (median county) | 10 of 14 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 20.2 | 20.1 (median county) | 7 of 14 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +2.4% | +2.3% | 6 of 14 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester County | 3.0% | 22.9% | 15.8% | 0.1% | 80.0% | 3.5% | $1,749 | +63.5% | 20.2 | +2.4% |
| Franklin County | 7.1% | 29.4% | 32.9% | 0.5% | 78.7% | 4.9% | $1,866 | +49.9% | 14.7 | +0.9% |
| Hampden County | 3.9% | 21.3% | 12.9% | 0.3% | 84.8% | 3.2% | $1,734 | +53.6% | 14.4 | +0.7% |
| Hampshire County | 4.5% | 24.4% | 20.5% | 0.2% | 81.7% | 3.8% | $2,004 | +77.5% | 16.2 | +2.1% |
| Middlesex County | 2.6% | 22.1% | 8.1% | 0.1% | 81.2% | 3.3% | $2,941 | +25.9% | 20.6 | +2.6% |
| Norfolk County | 2.1% | 17.4% | 8.2% | 0.1% | 83.9% | 3.5% | $2,311 | +48.1% | 24.7 | +2.3% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Cheshire County, NH, Hillsborough County, NH, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT, Providence County, RI.