Affordable housing and a low cost of living earned Worcester a top ten spot recent list of Best Cities to Raise a Family, putting it well above most of America’s 100 largest metro areas.Besides being an inexpensive city, Worcester’s proximity to Boston
and Hartford and neighboring cities like Marlborough, Shrews bury and Box borough helped the city gain its top spot.Forbes ranked these areas based on several criteria including
median income, cost of living, housing affordability, commute time,
percentage home-owners, crime, and education.
Here’s Worcester’s numbers: Median Income: 14 Cost of Living Index:
71 Housing Affordability: 23 Commuting: 17 Pct. Owning Homes: 20
(70.3%) Crime: 17 Education: 62
“It’s a continued national acknowledgement of the strengths
Worcester has as a market. It’s a place to live and a place to invest,”
said Tim McGourthy, Worcester’s Economic Development Director. “It’s
been identified nationally for its income, meaning that the dollars you
earn can go a lot farther due to a lower cost of living.” McGourthy
also cited other instances where Worcester had been named for its job
creation.
Affordable Living
One of Worcester’s key figures, housing affordability, is measured
two ways, according to the website - by the percentage of home-owners
according to the Census Bureau, and by the percentage of homes in the
area that are affordable to a family making the local median income,
using figured from Wells Fargo and the National Association of Home
Builders.
City councilor Tony Economou knows the city’s housing atmosphere
well, speaking both from his role in city government and as a former
Worcester realtor.
“Anytime families want to be in the city, that helps us as a whole,
but it really shows what Worcester has to offer. It has affordable
housing, good neighborhoods, access to highways, and to culture. I
believe it has a good school system. Compared to cities its size, crime
is relatively low,” he said. “It’s been a pleasure raising my family in
the city.
“That’s what families look for. They look for affordability. You
can buy a lot more in Worcester for the same amount compared other
cities in the area.”
Local residents agree. Maritza Rodriguez waits at the bus stop with
her young daughter. She’s raising a family in Worcester and has found
it less difficult than she had imagined finding an affordable place for
her and her children
“For now, it’s been easy. I like the schools,” she said. “I have two teenagers in middle school, and they’re doing great.”
Councilor Economou spoke to the city’s strengths in pulling residents from other, comparable yet more expensive cities.
“When you speak to people who moved here from other parts of the
state, they love it,” he said. There aren’t many cities our size with
parks within walking distance in the neighborhoods. They love the
culture we have they love the museums. Those are all key items for
families.”
One thing that he believes has prompted this significantly low cost
of living and affordable housing is its large number of older houses.
“It’s an urban center and has a bigger diversity in population in
and in the age of its housing. There are more 1800s, 1900s homes in the
city and some of those need work, some need rehab, but that’s what
creates price points in the marketplace. It’s a pretty cool city to
live in.”
The Highs and Lows
While housing is at a good place in Worcester, there is always room
for improvement. One mother voiced her concern for commute time.
“The taxes are good, but there’s a long time to commute,” said
Leila Castillo as she and her son walked down Main Street. While
transportation in the city isn’t always the most convenient, she has
found it convenient in other ways.
Why Housing Might Get More Expensive
CEO of Worcester Apartment Rental Agency, Ed Murphy also had some
predictions about the future of the housing market in Worcester. He
says that due to the city’s growth, housing costs are not as affordable
as they once were, but the benefits still rank it higher than cities in
the area.
“Worcester is not as affordable as it used to be, but compared to
cities around it – even though it’s expensive compared to what it used
to be – it’s still much more affordable than places east of 495,”
Murphy said. “There are much more things to do in the city. People can
raise a family in the suburbs and also save some money compared to
living in Boston. The commuter rail has made the area desirable also.”
According to Murphy, the entry level for a single family home is
somewhere between $75,000-$150,000, which is almost half the price of
houses of similar size in the area. This, he says, is making Worcester
a place to be.
“That’s giving someone something they can own for cheaper. For
young professions in Boston or anywhere east of 495 it’s tough to find
something. It’s more desirable for everyone,” he said.
“I think definitely that the housing market in the area is going to
go up which won’t make it as affordable, but it will keep young
professions working in the city around.” Murphy said that more $100,000
jobs in the city will be driving the price up, but it’s still much more
affordable due to the expense of living in Boston or Providence. People
will continue to choose Worcester.
Regardless of a potential increase in housing costs in the future,
the price will only be driven by more high-paying jobs, and both of
these realities are good signs for Worcester’s economy and families.
“The word is definitely out there in terms of the attractiveness of
the city and change that’s going on here. This sends a great message,”
said Tim McGourthy. “In Worcester there are tons of opportunities for
people and families of all kinds. There are plenty of things going on,
and it’s a great location. We’re building on that to move us forward.”