Worcester County, Massachusetts

   


Image:Map of Massachusetts highlighting Worcester County.png

Worcester County is a county located in the U.S. State of Massachusetts. Its county seats are Worcester and Fitchburg6.

To its east are Middlesex and Norfolk Counties; to its west are Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties; to the north is Cheshire County, New Hampshire; to the south are Windham County, Connecticut and Providence County, Rhode Island.

Law and government

Worcester County exists today only as a historical geographic region. It has had no county government since July 1, 1998, when all former county functions were assumed by other governmental agencies. There are vestiges of the old system: for example, county sheriffs are still elected, but are under the state Executive Office of Public Safety. There is not, however, a county council or a commissioner. Communities are now granted the right to form their own regional compacts for sharing services.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,090 km² (1,579 mi²). 3,919 km² (1,513 mi²) of it is land and 171 km² (66 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.18% water. The county stretches from the northern to the southern border of the state.

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density is 192/km² (496/mi²). There are 298,159 housing units at an average density of 76/km² (197/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 89.61% White, 2.73% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 2.62% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.93% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 6.77% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 283,927 households out of which 33.60% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% are married couples living together, 11.40% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% are non-families. 26.20% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.40% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.56 and the average family size is 3.11.

In the county the population is spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county is $47,874, and the median income for a family is $58,394. Males have a median income of $42,261 versus $30,516 for females. The per capita income for the county is $22,983. 9.20% of the population and 6.80% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.30% of those under the age of 18 and 9.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Cities, towns, and villages*

* Villages are census division, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.

External links


 
Regions of Massachusetts 		Flag of Massachusetts
The Berkshires | Greater Boston | Cape Cod | North Shore | Pioneer Valley | South Shore
Counties
Barnstable | Berkshire | Bristol | Dukes | Essex | Franklin | Hampden | Hampshire | Middlesex | Nantucket | Norfolk | Plymouth | Suffolk | Worcester

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