Community Life
Voter Participation Rate
Using the charts: Items in the legend below the chart can be clicked on and off to aid in analysis. The chart can also be printed or exported as an image or document using the menu at the top right of the chart. Visit Using the Site for more information.





Source:

What does this measure?

The estimated percentage of the voting-age population (18 and over) that voted in an election.

Why is this important?

Voting is a basic responsibility of all citizens and an indication of the citizenry's interest in and commitment to participating in our political process.

How is our county performing?

In Worcester County, voter participation was 43% in the 2022 midterm elections and 66% in the 2020 presidential election. The 2020 presidential election participation rate was slightly higher than the rates in all presidential elections since 2000.

Voter turnout in Worcester County in 2022 and 2020 was similar to the state in both years. The City of Worcester had the lowest participation rate in both 2022 and 2020 at 27% and 45% respectively. Petersham had the highest rate in 2022, at 76%, while Princeton had the highest rate in 2020 at 97%.

Notes about the data

Rates were calculated using Census estimates of the population 18 and over. CGR generated estimates of the population 18 and older for non-census years. This estimation process leads to values over 100% for some small areas. National data is only available for presidential years.

Voter Participation Rate
200020022004200620082010201220142016201820202022
Worcester County56%45%59%44%61%45%59%40%62%48%66%43%
Athol48%34%51%36%52%37%52%36%55%42%58%39%
Clinton54%41%56%42%59%44%60%40%65%50%63%41%
Fitchburg42%34%44%33%46%32%46%29%49%37%51%31%
Gardner46%37%48%37%51%38%50%34%52%41%55%36%
Northbridge60%43%61%44%63%45%60%43%64%53%72%49%
Southbridge47%36%49%38%53%34%51%29%52%35%52%31%
Spencer51%41%55%41%59%43%58%41%60%47%66%46%
Webster44%34%48%33%49%36%49%32%54%40%58%37%
Westborough61%48%63%49%66%50%67%46%69%55%66%48%
Worcester39%32%40%29%43%30%42%26%45%33%43%26%
Massachusetts56%45%59%45%62%45%61%41%62%50%66%44%
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham61%52%69%52%73%54%69%46%71%58%79%58%
Auburn66%52%68%50%69%52%68%48%71%58%76%54%
Barre58%49%61%48%64%48%64%46%68%52%73%51%
Berlin71%60%74%58%73%61%74%56%77%67%88%54%
Blackstone51%41%57%41%59%46%60%40%63%48%70%46%
Bolton77%65%81%64%83%66%84%61%88%75%92%69%
Boylston73%60%74%59%78%63%77%59%79%67%87%68%
Brookfield57%46%62%49%65%47%63%45%65%54%73%53%
Charlton55%42%60%45%65%47%65%44%69%54%78%55%
Douglas61%46%65%45%66%49%67%45%72%56%79%55%
Dudley52%39%57%39%57%41%56%39%59%46%64%45%
East Brookfield59%48%64%48%69%52%66%50%70%58%77%56%
Grafton64%48%64%49%68%49%68%46%71%58%76%53%
Hardwick57%50%60%47%60%42%54%42%58%46%71%52%
Harvard63%53%67%55%67%55%69%51%71%63%75%58%
Holden75%63%78%63%81%65%79%57%80%67%84%62%
Hopedale65%52%71%57%74%56%71%52%76%62%81%54%
Hubbardston60%51%66%56%73%58%73%52%73%59%84%63%
Lancaster56%43%58%43%58%45%57%45%61%51%64%46%
Leicester55%43%59%46%62%48%62%45%64%51%72%50%
Lunenburg64%54%71%56%74%57%70%49%73%59%78%57%
Mendon67%50%71%55%73%56%76%54%77%62%83%58%
Milford54%40%55%41%57%41%58%41%61%46%61%41%
Millbury55%44%58%43%62%47%63%43%66%52%73%50%
Millville56%46%61%41%63%46%62%41%65%50%74%49%
New Braintree60%50%66%56%70%56%69%53%76%64%85%61%
Northborough67%56%71%56%75%60%75%55%78%66%80%59%
North Brookfield53%45%58%47%63%50%63%47%67%53%71%52%
Oakham63%53%70%55%75%61%74%54%75%60%84%62%
Oxford52%40%56%42%59%44%58%40%62%48%70%48%
Paxton67%56%67%53%68%53%66%49%69%58%74%55%
Petersham74%63%79%65%82%69%80%63%80%71%89%76%
Phillipston56%44%62%51%72%53%70%50%74%60%80%59%
Princeton72%61%78%62%81%68%84%64%84%73%91%69%
Royalston52%42%59%45%66%50%64%51%66%53%75%60%
Rutland65%53%69%54%73%58%73%52%77%62%84%60%
Shrewsbury63%51%64%50%66%51%66%48%68%56%72%49%
Southborough73%63%78%61%79%61%79%56%80%67%85%62%
Sterling68%54%73%55%76%61%76%57%78%66%85%64%
Sturbridge67%51%71%55%74%55%73%50%75%62%80%57%
Sutton65%55%70%55%75%61%75%54%78%62%86%62%
Templeton57%40%58%45%61%45%60%43%63%50%70%49%
Upton73%57%74%54%74%56%72%50%77%64%86%63%
Uxbridge62%50%67%50%69%51%66%46%70%55%77%54%
Warren48%39%56%42%58%41%57%39%59%45%67%46%
West Boylston55%47%59%48%63%51%64%48%67%56%73%55%
West Brookfield53%44%60%47%66%50%64%46%68%57%73%55%
Westminster67%56%72%57%76%59%75%53%77%64%83%60%
Winchendon45%34%51%38%54%37%51%33%54%42%63%42%
Leominster49%41%53%41%56%41%58%38%60%47%62%42%





Number of People Who Voted
200020022004200620082010201220142016201820202022
Worcester County313,307256,661342,475262,841366,048274,348370,868257,004396,096316,659434,921295,757
Athol4,2783,1044,6573,2714,7713,4304,7703,3735,0563,9155,5313,688
Clinton5,8754,5186,1224,5636,5064,7716,5664,4737,2375,6017,8605,172
Fitchburg12,66410,39413,66010,41614,43210,10714,5539,07715,67911,68116,61410,186
Gardner7,7226,3548,1266,1638,4286,2228,2795,6988,7626,9769,5176,169
Northbridge6,2484,7446,8935,2327,6155,5507,7295,5158,4077,0499,3046,363
Southbridge6,3904,8766,5775,1437,0444,4746,7333,8696,9814,7277,3094,280
Spencer4,9203,9805,3593,9745,6694,1675,5754,0035,8754,5686,4674,468
Webster5,8434,6026,5024,5206,7054,9306,7624,4657,4115,5048,3465,336
Westborough8,2156,6498,7326,6909,0636,8299,2576,4639,7767,96610,6987,700
Worcester54,26744,58356,95142,26861,80843,32461,70838,97966,30349,71571,99642,453
Massachusetts2,734,0062,220,3012,927,4552,243,8353,102,9952,319,9633,184,1962,186,7893,378,8012,752,6653,658,0052,511,461
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham2,6192,3063,1262,3763,3902,5233,2542,1943,3992,8493,8372,847
Auburn8,3886,7328,8386,4948,9506,7298,8726,3449,4557,74410,2617,201
Barre2,3432,0112,5462,0002,7092,0482,7081,9572,9362,2753,1672,209
Berlin1,3671,2261,5731,2761,6531,4261,8141,4111,9661,7602,2751,860
Blackstone3,6132,9534,0812,9824,2703,3014,3442,9134,6233,5975,1533,367
Bolton2,3492,0832,6642,1942,8952,3653,0862,2943,3452,9523,8132,886
Boylston2,3111,9522,4671,9832,6492,1812,6932,0752,8612,4933,3212,633
Brookfield1,4071,1971,6361,3191,7701,3051,7431,2451,8271,5312,0621,481
Charlton4,9173,8595,7004,4466,4864,7856,7464,5647,3415,8418,1695,756
Douglas3,3972,7243,9692,8374,3223,3054,5443,0824,9753,9715,5873,960
Dudley4,1543,2734,8593,4365,0653,7455,1183,5435,4874,3146,1154,209
East Brookfield9758081,1008231,1849151,1578821,2171,0331,370975
Grafton7,3355,8598,0816,3199,0276,6899,5306,56310,2878,47611,5318,116
Hardwick1,2191,1081,3531,0891,4151,0141,3221,0181,4211,1411,5341,118
Harvard3,0662,6273,4052,8503,4892,8783,6422,7153,7763,3724,1573,199
Holden8,8717,7089,8448,06410,4658,63410,6097,99811,4409,74912,7369,414
Hopedale2,9352,3963,2812,6173,3942,5723,3142,3953,5112,8853,8012,516
Hubbardston1,9031,6722,2151,9232,5562,0572,6311,8992,7652,2912,9432,210
Lancaster2,9132,4093,3992,6493,6742,9323,7432,8754,0093,3844,3843,133
Leicester4,6553,7285,1684,0445,5184,2425,5954,1225,8284,6976,4534,469
Lunenburg4,7214,1115,4034,3005,7564,5235,9484,2506,4405,3347,2245,308
Mendon2,7322,1233,0502,4053,2482,5343,4382,4833,5842,9333,9942,823
Milford11,4828,58611,9628,97712,3949,04512,9519,26513,82610,60014,6769,769
Millbury5,7864,6526,2624,6256,6695,0656,8274,7787,2885,9048,2135,673
Millville1,2091,0311,4249781,5471,1541,5651,0391,6721,2971,8561,210
New Braintree449386513436554449560438623524676488
Northborough7,2266,1157,7476,1718,1496,6318,5106,3079,0667,7529,7467,088
North Brookfield2,0281,7162,2401,7952,3981,8942,3861,7902,5912,0622,7312,004
Oakham8567521,0158191,1309391,1528411,1849631,262934
Oxford5,6904,4076,1984,6686,5114,8546,5434,5157,0255,5157,6075,202
Paxton2,3652,0502,4922,0202,5962,0402,5601,9012,7082,3082,9752,214
Petersham715618793653823700822647827734880744
Phillipston7285818336919647159556891,0308441,103809
Princeton1,9571,6742,1641,7272,2411,8862,3301,7792,3452,0602,5911,960
Royalston545446628477695525678543702564787633
Rutland3,0842,6883,6783,0354,2063,4574,5153,2604,9484,1245,7024,189
Shrewsbury15,33712,94316,58313,15917,82914,05918,25413,50519,20716,32321,32015,115
Southborough4,8494,3595,4634,3655,7324,5345,8674,2446,0835,1796,7174,871
Sterling3,9883,2794,4423,3934,7143,8314,8433,6705,0664,3325,4904,181
Sturbridge4,0513,2584,6833,7335,2083,9145,2983,6465,5224,6546,0934,345
Sutton4,2893,7014,7833,8455,2744,3485,4023,9455,7484,6986,3524,599
Templeton3,0372,2453,3672,7113,7522,8683,8142,7344,0583,2184,5133,163
Upton3,2342,7623,7612,9074,1353,2684,2422,9874,6763,9925,3283,947
Uxbridge5,5624,6946,6315,0357,2345,4597,2225,0477,7986,1798,7726,175
Warren1,8181,5162,1921,6622,3431,6732,3281,6052,4121,8822,6281,803
West Boylston3,4472,9503,7613,0854,0143,2544,2153,1654,4223,7944,8463,548
West Brookfield1,6671,3881,8871,4692,0331,5271,9621,4322,0971,7592,3331,749
Westminster3,6263,1044,0253,2204,3023,3474,3103,0854,6233,9465,3333,945
Winchendon3,4462,6274,0133,0234,3233,0204,2012,7814,6183,5835,1883,443
Leominster16,22413,46417,59813,49618,35213,38518,77312,62919,95115,54521,67414,451

Notes: National data only available for presidential years.







INDICATORS TREND
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments 1
Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution 0
Maintaining
Households With Internet Access 1
Increasing
Protected Land 10 Not Applicable*
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 0
Maintaining
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
Population by Age -1
Decreasing
Households by Type 0
Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Median Household Income 0
Maintaining
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
80/20 Income Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Age 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance 0
Maintaining
Households Without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Employer Size 1
Increasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Self-Employment Revenue 0
Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County for Work 1
Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Preterm Births 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels -1
Decreasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma 1
Increasing
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Cancer Incidence 0
Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence -1
Decreasing
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions 1
Increasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate 1
Increasing
Children Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students 1
Increasing
Disengaged Youth -1
Decreasing
Prekindergarten Participation -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing





Loading...