Demographics And Diversity
Population by Age
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The change in population of a geographic area broken down by selected age groups since 2008-12.

Why is this important?

Population measures provide insight on the changing size and face of communities, and an area's needs and assets. For example, areas with large or growing populations of seniors or children may face challenges in providing needed services and generating enough tax revenue to support those services.

How is our county performing?

In general, the population of Worcester County is aging with a 42% increase among people aged 60-84 between 2008-12 and 2018-22, although it also experienced a decrease of 1% among those 85 or older and a 13% increase among people aged 20 to 39 during this same time period. The County's population aged 60-84 is increasing more rapidly than the state and nation (32% and 33%, respectively). The population under 20 declined by 4%.

Among local areas with reliable data in Worcester County, all had increases in the population aged 60 to 84. Westminster, Douglas, Hubbardston and Boylston all had increases of more than 100% in this age group. Lunenberg (23%), Holden (19%), Westborough (16%) and Webster (14%) had the largest increases of youth under 20.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Change in Total Population by Age, 2018-22
Under 2020 to 3940 to 5960 to 8485 or Older
Worcester County-4%13%-5%42%-1%
Athol-14%-1%-1%42%-27%**
Clinton-4%35%-11%64%-49%***
Fitchburg-2%1%-2%26%-11%*
Gardner-14%-2%-6%56%-8%*
Northbridge-10%9%3%26%-18%*
Southbridge-6%8%12%16%-44%*
Spencer-17%*-15%-19%87%16%***
Webster14%4%-9%22%-3%*
Westborough16%21%8%40%-29%*
Worcester1%22%3%36%-11%
Massachusetts-3%11%-5%32%11%
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham-4%*40%*-34%*60%*50%***
Auburn-2%9%-10%28%7%*
Barre-21%*43%*-21%*48%*-24%***
Berlin-2%*38%*-1%64%170%***
Blackstone-15%-2%-6%62%*-12%***
Bolton5%70%-15%70%255%**
Boylston-11%36%-17%103%-16%***
Brookfield-26%*1%*4%27%82%***
Charlton-2%8%-15%45%33%*
Douglas-12%-5%*-12%131%267%**
Dudley-10%-7%-2%49%293%**
East Brookfield-27%*4%*-41%*93%*68%***
Grafton0%7%4%60%40%***
Hardwick-7%*14%*-35%14%-97%***
Harvard5%25%-10%15%171%***
Holden19%6%6%33%-3%*
Hopedale-2%*15%*-20%55%*-42%***
Hubbardston-14%*32%-43%107%0%***
Lancaster-7%*8%-8%*42%2%***
Leicester7%-17%-8%33%-27%***
Lunenburg23%11%-7%50%-47%***
Mendon-6%*37%*-13%60%*-42%***
Milford-2%3%-3%53%23%*
Millbury-7%14%-1%14%22%**
Millville-31%-22%10%88%*117%***
New Braintree-28%*-37%*-9%63%-28%***
Northborough-4%5%3%52%-25%*
North Brookfield-28%*21%-19%63%*3%***
Oakham-27%-6%-36%52%14%***
Oxford-15%18%-24%35%10%**
Paxton-9%36%-15%18%26%***
Petersham-32%*13%*-10%30%-40%***
Phillipston-18%*3%*-10%50%-63%***
Princeton-22%*58%*-31%85%-43%***
Royalston67%**61%*-13%90%-50%***
Rutland6%16%10%37%75%***
Shrewsbury-1%15%5%25%22%*
Southborough-3%40%0%16%-26%**
Sterling-21%-9%*-8%96%-56%***
Sturbridge-6%12%4%21%38%***
Sutton-28%62%*-1%16%-12%***
Templeton-12%*29%-13%23%1%***
Upton-7%20%*-18%87%73%***
Uxbridge-12%20%-11%46%96%**
Warren-10%*34%*-20%*-10%*-24%***
West Boylston-12%*-23%-7%55%63%**
West Brookfield-19%*-36%*5%*76%-17%***
Westminster-8%*12%-30%141%-47%***
Winchendon-12%50%-30%29%26%***
Leominster-5%9%-13%57%12%*

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Rate is percentage change from 2008-12. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Total Population by Age, 2018-22
Under 2020 to 3940 to 5960 to 8485 or Older
Worcester County203,677223,794231,897182,15417,376
Athol2,7162,7813,1073,088229**
Clinton3,2714,8953,8133,189179***
Fitchburg10,31211,87910,3798,187864*
Gardner4,0865,2935,4845,626601*
Northbridge3,9273,6954,9843,399298*
Southbridge4,4004,6625,1573,193257*
Spencer2,284*2,5862,9163,898271***
Webster4,2294,5304,6443,742526*
Westborough5,7685,2376,1163,738501*
Worcester48,93468,71747,50934,8934,138
Massachusetts1,576,5091,931,4501,815,1701,500,537160,539
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham1,573*1,662*1,464*1,584*54***
Auburn3,8373,7194,6794,074540*
Barre1,196*1,420*1,469*1,370*76***
Berlin615*680*1,0141,086119***
Blackstone2,1451,8952,8912,119*145***
Bolton1,6451,1091,7111,11078**
Boylston1,0349631,4361,36557***
Brookfield633*707*1,0291,00569***
Charlton3,6372,6863,8622,722431*
Douglas2,1591,753*2,7872,094231**
Dudley3,1932,6433,2432,413393**
East Brookfield398*422*439*792*69***
Grafton5,1164,7425,9533,525314***
Hardwick668*660*6117532***
Harvard1,6521,2982,3401,423122***
Holden5,4423,8305,9834,155373*
Hopedale1,596*1,295*1,6941,333*103***
Hubbardston1,016*1,0391,0171,24224***
Lancaster1,735*2,3032,203*2,06292***
Leicester2,6722,4163,1062,770102***
Lunenburg2,9252,4933,2962,895126***
Mendon1,557*1,337*1,9731,312*59***
Milford7,1468,0317,9906,471564*
Millbury2,9693,2194,3162,986362**
Millville6815431,207719*26***
New Braintree206*149*33927713***
Northborough3,8462,9125,2383,417234*
North Brookfield883*1,1161,3051,352*94***
Oakham31333543448716***
Oxford3,1283,5903,5762,824251**
Paxton1,2471,3211,2241,12893***
Petersham196*197*36237250***
Phillipston413*410*6814086***
Princeton755*716*9681,03127***
Royalston343**331*3504256***
Rutland2,5921,7943,0471,562107***
Shrewsbury10,0029,50311,2686,985976*
Southborough2,9391,9583,5411,797186**
Sterling1,6281,301*2,7552,29871***
Sturbridge2,4501,9842,9892,237182***
Sutton1,9702,409*2,8732,03372***
Templeton1,961*2,0362,2681,82171***
Upton2,0741,418*2,3912,047107***
Uxbridge3,1893,3374,0763,166460**
Warren1,121*1,635*1,187*982*60***
West Boylston1,327*1,8092,0752,162322**
West Brookfield609*615*1,176*1,313110***
Westminster1,726*1,6881,7672,96178***
Winchendon2,5112,8352,6002,270156***
Leominster9,08111,25511,58510,4661,233*

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.







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





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