Worcester added almost 2,000 new residents in 2025, bringing the city’s total population to 213,862, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released on May 15.
The continued growth comes as Massachusetts overall experiences a net loss of residents. Worcester’s population increase stands out compared to other northeastern cities of similar size.
The latest data from the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 Population Estimates recorded these figures as of July 1, 2025. The city has welcomed at least 1,000 new residents each year since surpassing the milestone of over 200,000 people in 2020. This steady growth allows Worcester to remain the second-largest city in New England despite recent gains in Providence. Providence’s current population is reported at 195,310 after growing by just over one thousand people last year.
From mid-2023 to mid-2024, Worcester grew by about 2,300 residents—a rate just above one percent—outpacing the average for large northeastern cities during that period. In contrast with other municipalities where growth slowed sharply this year (with an average increase dropping to only two-tenths of a percent), Worcester maintained a higher rate even as its own pace declined slightly.
National trends show exurban areas like Worcester are among the fastest-growing communities in the country; The Wall Street Journal recently cited Worcester when discussing this pattern. Despite slower national and state growth rates—Massachusetts ranked fourth for net domestic migration loss and saw more than thirty-three thousand people leave—the city continues adding new residents while Boston and several other Bay State municipalities see declines.
