Moving to Worcester MA: New England's Second Largest City

Worcester is the second-largest city in New England — after Boston — with a population of approximately 206,000, and it is in the middle of a genuine urban renaissance. For years Worcester was unfairly dismissed as a forgotten industrial city, but significant investment in downtown, the opening of Polar Park (a beautiful new AAA baseball stadium on the Canal District waterfront in 2021), and a growing tech and healthcare economy have created real momentum. The city is home to thirteen colleges and universities including WPI, Clark University, Holy Cross College, UMass Medical School, and Assumption University — a density of higher education that drives innovation, supports a young population, and generates significant economic activity.

Housing affordability is Worcester's most compelling argument for anyone working remotely or willing to make the 50-minute commuter rail trip to Boston. One-bedroom apartments can be found for $1,200 to $1,700, and two-bedrooms average $1,500 to $2,100 — roughly half to two-thirds the cost of equivalent apartments in Boston proper. The housing stock includes everything from grand Victorian homes in the historic Elm Park and Salisbury Street neighborhoods to triple-deckers in Shrewsbury Street to modern apartment developments downtown near Polar Park. The Main South and Vernon Hill neighborhoods are working-class and affordable; Tatnuck Square and Salisbury Street have more suburban character with larger homes and quieter streets.

The Framingham/Worcester Commuter Rail line connects Worcester Union Station to Boston's South Station in approximately 50 to 70 minutes — a longer commute but one that many residents consider worthwhile given the housing cost savings. Worcester also has an airport — Worcester Regional Airport — with seasonal direct flights that reduce travel time for frequent flyers. Moving logistics to Worcester are generally the most straightforward of any city in this guide — wide streets, ample parking, and a city government that is accommodating about moving truck access make the physical move uncomplicated. Boston Best Rate Movers handles Worcester relocations and can coordinate moves to and from the city efficiently, including coordination with building managers at the growing number of downtown apartment complexes.

Worcester's restaurant scene on Shrewsbury Street is one of New England's most underrated dining destinations — a dense stretch of Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, and American restaurants that has been serving the city for generations. Elm Park — the oldest public park in the United States established by public subscription — is a beautiful Victorian landscape in the city's West Side. The EcoTarium offers natural history and science programming that is excellent for families. The Worcester Art Museum's collection rivals institutions in much larger cities and includes Egyptian antiquities, European masterworks, and an exceptional American collection. For anyone considering a remote-work lifestyle or a commute-tolerant work arrangement, Worcester offers an extraordinary quality of life for the price — and the best New England baseball ballpark experience you can have this side of Fenway.