01603 and 01609 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
01603
01609
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 41%
vs57 · Top 46%
Growth
67 · Top 19%
vs67 · Top 19%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 25%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Schools
24 · Bottom 16%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Access
79 · Bottom 20%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 42%
vs31 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 01603 | 01609 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,868 | 22,047 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,049 | $68,381 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,873 | $40,434 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,608/sq mi | 5,904/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,300 | $444,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,372 | $1,275 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.5% | 40.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 50.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% | 23.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 720 | 720 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.2% | 25.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 29.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.43 | 14.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.4% | 4.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.5% | 21.9% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
01603
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
01609
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 01603 — Worcester, MA · 01609 — Worcester, MA · How this is calculated: methodology