Economic Mobility
Income in Relation to Poverty Level
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The share of residents with incomes below the poverty level, and at various proportions of the poverty level (below half, double the poverty level, etc.). Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year. In 2022, the threshold for a four-person family with two children was $29,700.

Why is this important?

The percentage of people living in or near poverty is a measure of the overall economic health of a region. It also indicates the level of need for social and government supports.

How is our county performing?

In 2018-22, 10% of Worcester County residents had incomes below the poverty level, including 5% with incomes less than half of the poverty level. These individuals are considered to live in extreme poverty. Another 12% of county residents had incomes between 100% and 199% of the poverty level, 13% had incomes between 200% and 299% of the poverty level, and 65% had incomes above that level. The share of people at 300% or higher has increased three percentage points since 2008-12, while the share of those in extreme poverty at half the poverty level has remained steady.

The Worcester County distribution of incomes was very similar to the state and a bit more disproportionate than the nation, where a lower percentage (55%) of people have incomes 300% or higher than the poverty line and higher shares of residents (16%) were between 100% and 199%, and residents (16%) between 200% and 299%.

Among localities with reliable data, Harvard had the highest percentage of residents living at 300% of the poverty line or higher, at 91%, and Athol had the lowest at 38%.

Notes about the data

The multi-year 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 expected to be released annually in December.

Income in Relation to Poverty Level, 2018-22
Under 50%50% to 99%100% to 199%200% to 299%300% or Higher
Worcester County5%5%12%13%65%
Athol4%*7%*17%34%38%
Clinton3%*3%**13%*17%*64%
Fitchburg5%*9%19%17%50%
Gardner8%*7%*19%16%50%
Northbridge3%**4%**9%*13%72%
Southbridge9%*9%*22%19%42%
Spencer2%***4%***11%*14%*69%
Webster9%*5%**13%15%57%
Westborough3%**2%**9%*8%*78%
Worcester10%10%19%16%46%
Massachusetts5%5%11%12%67%
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham6%***2%***4%***13%*75%
Auburn2%**2%***11%*13%72%
Barre10%**4%***10%***15%*62%
Berlin1%***4%***8%**6%**81%
Blackstone4%**1%***9%**13%*74%
Bolton1%***1%***4%***3%**90%
Boylston1%***7%**3%***7%**82%
Brookfield4%***3%***16%**10%*67%
Charlton2%***2%***9%**11%*77%
Douglas2%***1%***4%***6%**87%
Dudley3%***4%**13%*13%*66%
East Brookfield2%***4%***8%***11%*75%
Grafton2%**5%**6%*10%*78%
Hardwick3%***10%***16%**9%**61%
Harvard3%***1%***3%***2%***91%
Holden3%*2%*5%*7%*84%
Hopedale1%***3%***6%**6%***84%
Hubbardston2%***6%***6%***13%*73%
Lancaster2%***1%***6%***14%*78%
Leicester1%***3%***11%*15%*70%
Lunenburg3%**4%**7%*11%*74%
Mendon1%***6%***4%***13%***76%
Milford3%*6%*12%11%69%
Millbury2%***3%**9%*13%*73%
Millville3%***5%**9%**11%*72%
New Braintree7%***6%***6%***9%**73%
Northborough3%**1%***7%*7%*83%
North Brookfield3%***6%***9%**18%*65%
Oakham2%***3%***9%***20%*66%
Oxford2%***2%***10%*14%*72%
Paxton0%***1%***5%***7%***87%
Petersham4%***3%***13%***7%***74%
Phillipston0%***4%***10%**11%*74%
Princeton1%***3%***5%***5%**86%
Royalston5%**6%***8%***24%**57%
Rutland0%***1%***6%**9%*83%
Shrewsbury2%**2%*6%9%81%
Southborough1%***2%***4%**3%**89%
Sterling1%***1%***7%***12%**79%
Sturbridge2%***3%***9%*11%*76%
Sutton2%***2%***5%**5%**86%
Templeton4%***1%***16%**9%*70%
Upton0%***2%***4%***10%**84%
Uxbridge2%**1%***6%*9%*82%
Warren3%***8%***12%***13%**65%*
West Boylston1%***7%**7%**11%*74%
West Brookfield4%***5%***21%*11%**59%
Westminster2%***2%***10%**11%*76%
Winchendon4%***7%*13%*13%*63%
Leominster4%*5%*15%11%65%

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%.




Number of People by Income to Poverty Level, 2018-22
Under 50%50% to 99%100% to 199%200% to 299%300% or Higher
Worcester County39,02844,276102,952106,104541,694
Athol491*814*2,0413,9654,401
Clinton397*525**2,000*2,660*9,712
Fitchburg1,948*3,6197,7316,67920,041
Gardner1,631*1,333*3,8193,2439,949
Northbridge497**578**1,395*2,06811,493
Southbridge1,523*1,596*3,7673,2497,255
Spencer243***475***1,313*1,699*8,220
Webster1,576*891**2,3072,5829,891
Westborough595**365**1,899*1,680*16,476
Worcester18,65418,64935,50830,41688,425
Massachusetts321,588350,773774,206791,6184,534,107
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham385***111***243***811*4,704
Auburn256**362***1,868*2,11512,115
Barre518**233***522***805*3,341
Berlin47***129***297**199**2,830
Blackstone329**116***784**1,161*6,775
Bolton65***69***250***191**5,078
Boylston59***331**146***350**3,964
Brookfield153***92***562**334*2,302
Charlton291***207***1,135**1,438*10,156
Douglas167***114***316***586**7,841
Dudley319***478**1,410*1,452*7,237
East Brookfield52***79***176***226*1,567
Grafton327**890**1,188*1,915*15,280
Hardwick93***268***435**247**1,621
Harvard167***85***180***106***5,384
Holden518*383*1,049*1,272*16,338
Hopedale80***181***383**344***5,000
Hubbardston73***251***258***580*3,135
Lancaster125***103***412***1,002*5,663
Leicester104***346***1,180*1,580*7,497
Lunenburg404**438**841*1,306*8,708
Mendon84***343***245***794***4,750
Milford890*1,860*3,4543,15020,515
Millbury312***365**1,238*1,829*9,966
Millville91***159**289**337*2,290
New Braintree67***61***57***85**714
Northborough421**172***1,058*1,031*12,826
North Brookfield125***268***425**831*3,097
Oakham38***45***137***314*1,046
Oxford285***224***1,343*1,824*9,601
Paxton10***50***209***304***3,800
Petersham42***32***146***81***839
Phillipston4***85***200**204*1,421
Princeton32***103***177***191**2,992
Royalston75**88***110***354**828
Rutland35***105***515**847*7,577
Shrewsbury670**832*2,4903,42031,163
Southborough113***223***407**355**9,267
Sterling86***111***568***935**6,212
Sturbridge155***251***883*1,091*7,462
Sutton173***216***453**453**8,051
Templeton290***109***1,289**728*5,656
Upton24***153***333***790**6,708
Uxbridge331**121***836*1,294*11,561
Warren130***406***580***635**3,189*
West Boylston96***451**495**720*4,925
West Brookfield153***176***786*385**2,162
Westminster146***132***797**895*6,120
Winchendon433***710*1,359*1,295*6,466
Leominster1,630*2,314*6,6584,67128,091

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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