Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 14, 2019 | Worcester Business Journal 9 than Massachusetts as a whole and Worcester County. Worcester's 25-to-34 population has risen by 14% since 2010, putting it at roughly the same pace as Springfield and Portland, Maine. Boston has seen that segment of its population rise by 36% in that time, while younger adults have been largely overlooking cities like Providence and Hartford. e share of Worcester's population in that age demographic – 17% – is also about average compared to peer New England cities. Younger adults aren't just moving to or staying in Central Massachusetts for Worcester. Worcester County has actually added adults in the 25-to-34 range at a faster rate of 17%. So has Massachusetts, rising 22% faster than Worcester's pace. Worcester's population without that key younger demographic has been virtually flat if not for such residents moving in, growing by 0.4% since 2010 with that age demographic excluded. Among older age ranges, the population has declined, including a 9% drop among those ages 45 to 54. While Worcester's adding more young adults, it's not as clear that it's necessarily young professionals – those with a college degree, with more disposable income and more appealing to businesses – who are moving in. e city's rate of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher, at 30%, is essentially the same as in 2010, and trails significantly behind growth in such residents over that time in other Massachusetts Gateway Cities. Five other takeaways from the Census' fall data release 1) Worcester's population is aging, despite the growth in young adults and the drop in older working-age adults. e city's 55+ population rose by 14% since 2010, the same rate as those 25 to 34. e city's 19-and-under population, on the other hand, fell by 8%. "e issue is whether younger people stay in the city once they have found a life partner and then start a family," Brown said, referring to a challenge cities like Worcester have oen faced when they are surrounded by communities with higher-rated school districts. "Worcester does have some high- performing elementary schools, and I am supposing the challenge will be extending those successes to middle and high schools," he said. 2) e city's median age rose during that time from 34.0 to 34.9. at's not unusual. Boston, Providence, Hartford and others aged during this time as well, as did Massachusetts as a whole. Manchester, N.H., is one exception among similar cities. Worcester County also has aged over that time, with the median age rising from 39.2 to 40, including a 25% increase in residents 55 or older. 3) Across all ages, Worcester hasn't Note: Percent is for anyone not identifying as white and not mixed-race Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2018 one-year estimates Worcester's non-white population Worcester's population continues to diversify, with non-white residents accounting for 31.5% of the population in 2018. Worcester vs. New England cities How Worcester's population change in total, and in the key 25-to-34 demographic, compares to other notable New England cities: 25-to-34 as City Total 2010 Total 2018 Change 25-to-34 in 2010 25-to-34 in 2018 Change share of population Boston 621,383 695,926 12.0% 126,316 171,383 35.7% 24.6% Manchester 109,655 112,529 2.6% 18,466 21,847 18.3% 19.4% Portland 66,150 66,420 0.4% 12,521 14,372 14.8% 21.6% Worcester 181,264 185,883 2.5% 27,118 30,957 14.2% 16.7% Springfield 153,115 155,029 1.3% 21,139 24,080 13.9% 15.5% New Haven 129,849 130,407 0.4% 23,701 25,444 7.4% 19.5% Hartford 124,847 122,591 -1.8% 18,799 19,500 3.7% 15.9% Providence 178,162 179,335 0.7% 31,044 31,313 0.9% 17.5% Source: U.S. Census Bureau 0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% % change since 2010 37% 24% 5% 4% 1% -6% -20% -26% Worcester Manchester New Haven Boston Hartford Portland Providence Springfield 31.5% 20% 56% 48% 71% 12.5% 40.5% 37% % Non-white population, 2018 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Change TOTAL POPULATION 181,264 181,641 182,680 182,538 183,033 184,806 184,509 185,685 185,883 2.5% 20 to 24 18,725 18,705 18,168 16,782 17,661 19,082 19,449 17,783 19,009 1.5% 25 to 34 27,118 25,841 27,950 29,481 29,427 29,942 30,314 29,178 30,957 14.2% 35 to 44 21,811 23,066 22,167 23,391 22,417 21,996 20,739 21,176 22,512 3.2% 45 to 54 24,801 25,587 21,984 23,236 24,285 26,123 24,145 20,722 22,611 -8.8% Worcester's population growth, by age Since 2010, 83% of Worcester's population gain has been in the coveted 25-to-34 age range. The city's population has otherwise hardly budged. Source: U.S. Census Bureau been keeping pace with surrounding communities for population growth, even at a time when cities are generally seen as more desirable places to live than a generation ago. e city has grown by two-thirds the rate of Worcester County since 2010, according to the Census. 4) Worcester's poverty rate may be on the way down aer rising in recent years. e latest data for 2018 shows a 17.9% poverty rate for the city. e most recent five-year average through 2017 was 21.8%. 5) Worcester and Worcester County's populations continue to diversify. In 2018, those who don't identify as white and not mixed- race accounted for 32% of the city's population. While Boston, Hartford and New Haven, Conn., have larger non-white populations, Worcester's population diversified at the highest rate: 37% since 2010. Across Worcester County, the non-white population has rose over that time by 34%. W

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