Youth And Education
Children Living in Poverty
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

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What does this measure?

The number of children under 18 living below the federally defined poverty line, expressed as a percentage of all children under 18. 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?

Children raised in impoverished environments are at higher risk of health and social problems, including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), which can negatively impact performance in school. The challenges they face in childhood can diminish their chances for successful adult lives.

How is our county performing?

In 2018-22, about 20,700 children in Worcester County were living in poverty, or 12% of all children under 18. This was the same as in 2000 and two percentage points below 2013-17. The county rate was the same as the state rate of 12% but below the national rate of 17%.

The City of Worcester, the only locality with statistically reliable data, had a much higher percentage of children who lived below the poverty line, at 24%, compared to the rest of the county. This was a seven point decline from 2013-17.

Notes about the data

Poverty status is not reported for people in institutions, including college dormitories and military barracks, and people in living situations without conventional housing.

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 3 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.

Children Living in Poverty
20002008-122013-172018-22
Worcester County12%14%14%12%
Athol11%19%**18%**9%***
Clinton6%13%**5%***5%***
Fitchburg21%28%25%16%*
Gardner13%22%*25%*27%*
Northbridge5%4%***13%**10%***
Southbridge23%*24%*24%*
Spencer11%4%***18%***0%***
Webster14%21%*20%*20%**
Westborough4%3%***5%**4%***
Worcester25%29%31%24%
Massachusetts12%14%15%12%
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham7%3%***0%***13%***
Auburn4%9%**3%***5%***
Barre1%3%***6%***24%***
Berlin7%2%***3%***0%***
Blackstone2%5%***5%***2%***
Bolton2%3%***0%***0%***
Boylston1%1%***1%***13%***
Brookfield6%1%***21%***3%***
Charlton5%4%***3%***3%***
Douglas6%2%***4%***0%***
Dudley6%11%**8%***7%***
East Brookfield4%6%***6%***13%***
Grafton6%6%**5%**4%***
Hardwick10%22%***8%***31%***
Harvard1%8%***5%***2%***
Holden4%3%***4%***3%***
Hopedale3%3%***2%***1%***
Hubbardston3%8%***3%***12%***
Lancaster2%15%***11%***3%***
Leicester6%1%***5%***10%***
Lunenburg4%5%***11%***11%***
Mendon4%3%***0%***12%***
Milford9%16%*10%*18%**
Millbury8%7%***7%***5%***
Millville7%9%***6%***18%***
New Braintree5%9%***10%***20%***
Northborough2%1%***3%***4%***
North Brookfield9%8%***4%***24%***
Oakham2%5%***0%***0%***
Oxford13%7%***16%**4%***
Paxton1%8%***8%***1%***
Petersham5%0%***7%***2%***
Phillipston10%0%***6%***0%***
Princeton5%4%***2%***3%***
Royalston13%21%***15%***18%***
Rutland4%5%***1%***1%***
Shrewsbury5%4%**3%**1%***
Southborough1%0%***4%***2%***
Sterling5%0%***5%***0%***
Sturbridge11%14%***3%***6%***
Sutton6%5%***1%***3%***
Templeton11%16%**2%***2%***
Upton5%3%***4%***0%***
Uxbridge5%7%***13%**4%***
Warren7%8%***19%***6%***
West Boylston3%3%***12%***9%***
West Brookfield10%3%***0%***6%***
Westminster2%8%***0%***1%***
Winchendon12%8%***19%***20%**
Leominster13%12%*20%*12%*

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 Children Living in Poverty
20002008-122013-172018-22
Worcester County22,38024,93924,82420,743
Athol311530**407**215***
Clinton194394**148***140***
Fitchburg2,1132,4262,2781,348*
Gardner614892*1,041*966*
Northbridge195145***482**347***
Southbridge957*861*926*
Spencer31799***368***0***
Webster514706*653*737**
Westborough192132***247**191***
Worcester10,06211,41910,9889,378
Massachusetts177,383195,519198,980158,194
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham10650***8***169***
Auburn125290**79***157***
Barre2143***64***205***
Berlin3910***18***0***
Blackstone60115***107***36***
Bolton2446***0***0***
Boylston514***8***123***
Brookfield469***135***17***
Charlton155149***101***100***
Douglas12237***88***0***
Dudley148282**199***166***
East Brookfield2125***23***47***
Grafton210278**227**182***
Hardwick74131***45***180***
Harvard13116***68***30***
Holden164127***167***130***
Hopedale4642***24***20***
Hubbardston4084***27***103***
Lancaster23236***162***42***
Leicester15925***94***202***
Lunenburg88115***285***293***
Mendon6941***0***188***
Milford6171,064*662*1,087**
Millbury246192***184***149***
Millville5482***48***105***
New Braintree1222***28***38***
Northborough8127***90***152***
North Brookfield10385***38***195***
Oakham921***0***0***
Oxford431206***522**112***
Paxton684***72***11***
Petersham140***11***3***
Phillipston480***18***0***
Princeton5138***15***22***
Royalston4640***29***61***
Rutland65106***29***27***
Shrewsbury393425**264**112***
Southborough1910***109***47***
Sterling900***91***0***
Sturbridge224311***71***131***
Sutton143118***14***62***
Templeton186320**36***33***
Upton7766***77***0***
Uxbridge165233***408**101***
Warren9094***204***59***
West Boylston4939***114***103***
West Brookfield8420***0***36***
Westminster28134***0***14***
Winchendon335206***443***447**
Leominster1,3111,031*1,845*998*

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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