Worcester’s population growth ranks it among top cities for migration impact

Housing prices are soaring with increasing population, leaving locals frustrated.

Worcester saw a 10.4% population growth from 2017-2021.

December 8, 2023

Worcester ranked third in the nation for cities where housing is unaffordable for locals due to a large population increase, according to MarketWatch.

With the rise in occupants of the city, home prices have skyrocketed to unreachable heights for many Worcester locals, according to the site.

Olivia Okpalafulaku, a Worcester area real estate agent at Coldwell Banker, said that the increasing interest in Worcester is driving out many low-income families who can’t afford the rising home prices.

“It’s being gentrified. Everyone has to be making over $4,000 a month in order for them to survive right now,” Okpalafulaku said.

MarketWatch analyzed cities within 66 metropolitan areas and 2,730 nearby towns. Towns had to have experienced significant population growth between 2017 and 2021 to be included in the study. Populations of the towns ranged from 500 to 25,000 in 2017. MarketWatch used data from the census to find the areas with the most population growth.

Here are the top 10 cities most affected by population growth:

Rank	City	% Change in population	% Change in sale price/income ratio
1	North Port, Fla.	18.5%	17.9%
2	Rochester, N.Y.	0.8%	130.0%
3	Worcester	10.4%	32.4%
4	Boise, Idaho	4.8%	64.5%
5	Charleston, S.C.	12.7%	8.6%
6	Orlando, Fla.	12.5%	9.4%
7	Cape Coral, Fla.	11.1%	18.2%
8	Spokane, Wash.	6.0%	48.3%
9	Palm Bay, Fla.	10.1%	17.2%
10	Buffalo, N.Y.	6.3%	40.0%

MarketWatch

Three towns in the Worcester-Conn. metro area have also been affected by population growth.

Town	% Increase in population	% increase in sale price/income ratio
South Windham, Conn.	21.4%	-17.2%
South Woodstock, Conn.	19.5%	24.1%
Williamantic, Conn.	3.4%	30.8%

MarketWatch

With soaring housing prices and increasing population, it can be difficult for many to make enough income to keep up. Three New England cities ranked among the top 10 where home prices outpaced income.

Here is the top 10:

Rank	City	% Change (sale price)	% Change (income)
1	Bridgeport, Conn.	86.8%	11.5%
2	Rochester, N.Y.	180.5%	24.1%
3	Boise, Idaho	98.3%	21.7%
4	McAllen, Texas	41.9%	10.2%
5	Springfield	60.4%	15.4%
6	Winston-Salem, N.C.	51.1%	14.0%
7	Spokane, Wash.	85.0%	24.4%
8	Syracuse, N.Y.	46.9%	13.9%
9	Buffalo, N.Y.	71.1%	21.2%
10	Worcester	57.2%	17.4%

MarketWatch

Four other New England cities were also ranked among the top 66 cities affected by migration:

Rank	City	% Change in population	% Change in sale price/income ratio
15	Bridgeport, Conn.	0.6%	66.7%
19	Providence, R.I.	5.2%	29%
37	Springfield	0.7%	39.3%
65	Boston	0.5%	-6.3%