Greater Worcester Community Foundation and Worcester Regional Research Bureau have partnered together to launch Worcester County Insights, a new community indicators platform designed to provide essential data on various facets of community life in Worcester County.

Featuring 60 Key Community Indicators

Worcester County Insights is a collaborative effort offering the latest data around key indicators that shape the quality of life in our communities. Developed by the Center for Governmental Research using data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey and other credible sources, this platform offers comprehensive information across 60 indicators, covering:

  • Community life: including arts and entertainment, voter engagement, and internet access.
  • Demographics and diversity: including changes to the population regarding age, language diversity, immigration and race/ethnicity.
  • Economic mobility: including income levels, homeownership rates, poverty rates and housing costs.
  • Employment and workforce: including business ownership, unemployment rates and female-to-male earning ratios.
  • Health and wellbeing: including prenatal care, disease rates, substance use and health insurance.
  • Youth and education: including student test rates, children who are economically disadvantaged and disengaged youth.

A Hub for Disaggregated Data

Figure 2: Worcester County Insights Map

Data on Worcester County Insights can be used to compare Worcester County to the state of Massachusetts and the nation. When available, users can also compare and contrast data across 10 towns in Worcester County, selected to represent the different geographies and types of communities (rural, urban, suburban; large and small) that make up the County. The towns are Athol, Gardner, Fitchburg, Clinton, Spencer, Worcester, Westborough, Southbridge, Webster and Northbridge.

Worcester County Insights also provides data disaggregated by race whenever possible, ensuring a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing different communities within Worcester County.

Figure 3: Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity

The chart above from Worcester County Insights demonstrates the stark racial disparities in homeownership rates. Seventy-one percent of White and 62% of Asian residents in the County own their homes, compared to only 33% of both African American and Latino residents. Homeownership rates in the city of Worcester are lower across all races/ethnicities but still show disparities, and Worcester County has greater racial and ethnic disparities in homeownership rates compared to the nation.

"At Greater Worcester Community Foundation, we believe that data-driven decision-making is crucial for creating positive change in our communities, both through our own grantmaking and beyond," said Pete Dunn, President and CEO of Greater Worcester Community Foundation.

Worcester County Insights helps give residents, policymakers, nonprofits, and other stakeholders the information they need to address disparities, advocate for equitable policies, and drive meaningful progress across Worcester County.

- Pete Dunn, President & CEO, Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Quarterly Insights Insiders Research Briefs

Worcester Regional Research Bureau will publish quarterly research briefs on Worcester County Insights to provide deeper insight into specific community issues and data points. “We believe Worcester County Insights and our Insights Insider research briefs will be a valuable new resource for the region," said Paul Matthews, Executive Director and CEO of Worcester Regional Research Bureau.

By providing easily accessible and up-to-date data, the platform aims to educate the public, inform policymakers, foster collaboration, and support evidence-based initiatives that address the most pressing issues facing Worcester County.

- Paul Matthews, Executive Director & CEO, Worcester Regional Research Bureau

The inaugural edition of Insights Insider, “Introducing Worcester County Insights”, explores the datasets that are used in the dashboard, highlights the dashboard's useful features and sample visualizations, and notes its value to specific stakeholders such as municipal officials, not-for-profits, businesses, community or advocacy organizations, higher education institutions, and more. You can find Insights Insider at www.worcestercountyinsights.org/learnings/.

Exploring Worcester County Insights

Users can visit worcestercountyinsights.org to explore interactive data visualizations and maps, create their own dashboards, access downloadable reports, and stay informed about the latest trends and developments affecting Worcester County. Where possible, downloadable data is available on all 60 cities and towns in the County.

About Greater Worcester Community Foundation: Greater Worcester Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Worcester County through philanthropy and community leadership. Since 1975, the Foundation has worked to connect donors with causes they care about and support initiatives that address critical needs and opportunities in the community. Learn more at greaterworcester.org.

About Worcester Regional Research Bureau: Worcester Regional Research Bureau serves the public interest of Greater Worcester by conducting independent, non-partisan research and analysis of public policy issues to promote informed public debate and decision-making. For nearly 40 years, The Research Bureau has worked to protect the public interest in Greater Worcester by identifying issues, investigating impacts, and educating the public and government officials of opportunities and best practices. Learn more at wrrb.org.