HousingPermits

Metro area in Massachusetts · part of the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH combined area

Worcester, MA

The Worcester metro area authorized 1,690 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 33% between 2024 and 2025, the steepest decline among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 2.2 units a year in 2021–2025, 46% of the national rate of 4.7.

01,0002,0003,0004,0002004: 3,692 units (3,356 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,598 units (3,154 single-family, 244 in 2–4 unit, 200 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,685 units (2,265 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,787 units (1,660 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 909 units (803 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,419 units (973 single-family, 57 in 2–4 unit, 389 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,391 units (1,067 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 198 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 791 units (726 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,125 units (867 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,341 units (1,164 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,268 units (1,168 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 58 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,292 units (1,065 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 196 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,492 units (1,194 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 258 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,634 units (1,163 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 425 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,596 units (1,127 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 364 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,774 units (1,047 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 622 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,681 units (1,137 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 506 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,895 units (1,021 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 760 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,124 units (1,046 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 976 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,215 units (795 single-family, 117 in 2–4 unit, 303 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,506 units (964 single-family, 108 in 2–4 unit, 1,434 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,690 units (776 single-family, 107 in 2–4 unit, 807 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 3,6922011 low · 79101,5003,0004,5002004: 3,692 units (3,356 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,598 units (3,154 single-family, 244 in 2–4 unit, 200 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,685 units (2,265 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,787 units (1,660 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 909 units (803 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,419 units (973 single-family, 57 in 2–4 unit, 389 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,391 units (1,067 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 198 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 791 units (726 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,125 units (867 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,341 units (1,164 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,268 units (1,168 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 58 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,292 units (1,065 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 196 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,492 units (1,194 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 258 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,634 units (1,163 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 425 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,596 units (1,127 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 364 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,774 units (1,047 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 622 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,681 units (1,137 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 506 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,895 units (1,021 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 760 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,124 units (1,046 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 976 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,215 units (795 single-family, 117 in 2–4 unit, 303 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,506 units (964 single-family, 108 in 2–4 unit, 1,434 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,690 units (776 single-family, 107 in 2–4 unit, 807 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 3,692

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Worcester authorized the most units in 2004 (3,692); 2025 reached 46% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them McAllen, Albuquerque, Stockton. Annual permits fell from 3,692 during the mid-2000s boom to 791 in 2011, a drop of 79%. The nearest bust profile in the New England states was Lewiston, ME's (76%). The 2021–2025 pace of 1,886 units a year is 43% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Houses or apartments

In Worcester, 49% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 45% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Omaha (45% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 6.6%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.8% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2024 (1,434), single-family houses in 2004 (3,356).

2021–202548.8%49%5.8%45.4%45%2004–200688.0%88%5.4%6.6%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202548.8%49%5.8%45.4%45%2004–200688.0%88%5.4%6.6%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 60 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Worcester, with 2,672 units or 28% of the total, followed by Grafton town with 771. Among the three largest, Worcester put 79% of its units in five-plus buildings, Grafton town 57%.

  • Worcester28% (2,672 units)
  • Grafton town8.2% (771 units)
  • Shrewsbury town5.4% (512 units)
  • Westborough town4.9% (466 units)
  • Bolton town2.9% (273 units)
  • Berlin town2.8% (267 units)
  • Upton town2.8% (265 units)
  • Uxbridge town2.7% (255 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

The wider Boston-Worcester-Providence region

The Census Bureau groups Worcester with 4 neighboring metro areas in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 18,406 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Worcester accounted for 10%. The others, with their yearly averages: Boston (12,465), Providence (2,365), Manchester (1,014), Barnstable Town (675).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Charleston-North Charleston, SC7,2879.924%
Baton Rouge, LA4,3144.513%
Worcester, MA1,6902.245%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ1,9742.533%
El Paso, TX2,0502.87.4%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Worcester beside Baton Rouge

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Massachusetts. Counting rules.