![Wachusett Mountain in winter](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Wachusett_Mountain_in_winter.gk.jpg)
Worcester County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
. At the
2020 census, the population was 862,111, making it the second-most populous county in Massachusetts while also being the largest in area. The largest city and traditional
shire town
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is the
city of Worcester.
Worcester County is included in the Worcester, MA-
CT Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
as well as the
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
-Worcester-
Providence
Providence often refers to:
* Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion
* Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity
* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
, MA-
RI-
NH-CT
Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
.
History
Worcester County was formed from the eastern portion of colonial
Hampshire County, the western portion of the original
Middlesex County and the extreme western portion of the original
Suffolk County. When the government of Worcester County was established on April 2, 1731, Worcester was chosen as its shire town (later known as a county seat). From that date until the dissolution of the county government, it was the only county seat. Because of the size of the county, there were fifteen attempts over 140 years to split the county into two counties, but without success.
Initially,
Lancaster was proposed as the seat of the northern county; later,
Petersham was proposed once and
Fitchburg was proposed repeatedly, most recently in 1903. Perhaps as a concession, in August 1884 the Worcester County Registry of Deeds was split in two, with the Worcester Northern registry placed in Fitchburg.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (4.3%) is water.
It is the largest county in Massachusetts by area. The county is larger geographically than the entire state of Rhode Island even including Rhode Island's water ocean limit boundaries. The county constitutes Central Massachusetts, separating the
Greater Springfield
Greater may refer to:
*Greatness, the state of being great
*Greater than, in inequality
* ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film
*Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record
* "Greater" (song), by MercyMe, 2014
*Greater Bank, an Australian ...
area from the
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the metropolitan region of New England encompassing the municipality of Boston (the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England) and its surrounding areas. The region forms the northern ar ...
area. It stretches from the northern to the southern border of the state. The geographic center of Massachusetts is in
Rutland
Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire.
Its greatest len ...
.
Worcester County is one of two Massachusetts counties that borders three different neighboring states; the other being
Berkshire County
Berkshire County (pronounced ) is a county on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded in ...
. They are also the only two counties to touch both the northern and southern state lines.
Adjacent counties
*
Cheshire County, New Hampshire
Cheshire County is a county in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 76,458. Its county seat is the city of Keene. Cheshire was one of the five original counties of New Hampshire ...
- north
*
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Hillsborough County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 422,937, almost one-third the population of the entire state. Its county seats are Manchester and Nashua, the state's ...
- north/northeast
*
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Middlesex County is located in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,632,002, making it the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England and ...
- east/northeast
*
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Norfolk County is located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 725,981. Its county seat is Dedham. It is the fourth most populous county in the United States whose county seat is neither a city nor a boro ...
- east/southeast
*
Providence County, Rhode Island
Providence County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 660,741, or 60.2% of the state's population. Providence County contains the city of Providence, the state capi ...
- south/southeast
*
Windham County, Connecticut
Windham County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,418, making it the least populous county in Connecticut. It forms the core of the region known as the ...
- south
*
Tolland County, Connecticut
Tolland County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, its population was 149,788. It is incorporated into 13 towns and was originally formed on 13 October 1785 from portions of eastern Ha ...
- south/southwest
*
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Hampden County is a non-governmental county located in the Pioneer Valley of the state of Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, Hampden County's population was 465,825. Its traditional county seat is Springfield, the Co ...
- west/southwest
*
Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Hampshire County is a historical and judicial county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Following the dissolution of the county government in 1999, county affairs were managed by the Hampshire Council of Governments, which itself ceas ...
- west
*
Franklin County, Massachusetts
Franklin County is a nongovernmental county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 71,029, which makes it the least-populous county on the Massachusetts mainland, and the ...
- west/northwest
National protected areas
*
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park is a National Park Service unit in the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The park was created for the purpose of preserving, protecting, and interpreting the industrial heritage of the Blac ...
(part)
*
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge is a property of the United States National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) system located in Middlesex and Worcester counties in Massachusetts. It was founded in 1974.
Description
The Refuge is located in north-central Ma ...
(part)
Demographics
In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.
2000 census
At the
2000 census there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile (192/km
2). There were 298,159 housing units at an average density of 197 per square mile (76/km
2). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 89.61%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 2.73%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.25%
Native American, 2.62%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.04%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 2.93% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 6.77%.
were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race. 15.9% were of
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 12.3%
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
, 11.7%
French, 8.0%
French Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
, 8.0%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 5.6%
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
and 5.0%
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
ancestry according to
Census 2000
The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...
. 85.1% spoke
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 6.1%
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
and 1.9%
French as their first language.
Of the 283,927 households 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 26.20% of households were one person and 10.40% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.11.
The age distribution was 25.60% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median household income was $47,874 and the median family income was $58,394. Males had a median income of $42,261 versus $30,516 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,983. About 6.80% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
At the
2010 census, there were 798,552 people, 303,080 households, and 202,602 families in the county.
The population density was . There were 326,788 housing units at an average density of .
The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 85.6% white, 4.2% black or African American, 4.0% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 3.6% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 9.4% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, 22.2% were
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 15.1% were
French as well as 6.7%
French Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
s, 14.4% were
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
, 11.7% were
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 7.0% were
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
, 6.9% were
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
, and 3.2% were
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
.
Of the 303,080 households, 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.2% were non-families, and 26.2% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age was 39.2 years.
The median household income was $64,152 and the median family income was $79,121. Males had a median income of $56,880 versus $42,223 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,557. About 6.9% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Demographic breakdown by town
Income
The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective of the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
Government and politics
Worcester County is one of the 8 (of the total of 14)
Massachusetts counties
The U.S. state of Massachusetts has 14 County (United States), counties, though eight of these fourteen county governments were abolished between 1997 and 2000. The counties in the southeastern portion of the state retain county-level local gove ...
that have had no county government or county commissioners since July 1, 1998, when county functions were assumed by state agencies at local option following a change in state law.
The county has an elected county sheriff, county prosecutor, and court officials, administered under the state department of public safety. The state correctional system in the county is known as the Worcester County Jail or "House of Corrections" at
West Boylston, and the Worcester County District courts (state administered) are housed at Worcester, Fitchburg and other district courts within county boundaries.
The Worcester County district attorney is a county-wide position even though the district includes one town from a neighboring county. In Massachusetts, Sheriffs have more limited roles than most states and are responsible for corrections, court service and bailiffs and jail release programs.
County Sheriffs in Massachusetts are elected to six-year terms.
The Worcester County Sheriff is
Lewis Evangelidis
Lew Evangelidis (born 1961) is the sheriff of Worcester County, Massachusetts and a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Early life and education
Lewis George Evangelidis was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to Judith C ...
, (R), and the Worcester County District Attorney is Joseph Early Jr. (D).(see the info-box for elected officials at county level). The Worcester County Conservation District has countywide boundaries. The county has a regional planning commission.
Massachusetts law allows regional compacts, traditional counties and other governmental entities.
Traditional County governments in the state include: Norfolk, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, and Plymouth Counties.
Barnstable County
Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 228,996. Its shire town is Barnstable. The county consists of Cape Cod and associated islands (some adjacent islands are in Duk ...
, which is Cape Cod, functions as a modern regional county government. Suffolk County which is mainly Boston is under the Boston City Council. The Massachusetts General Laws describe this relationship of county government and the options for abolishing county governments and/or chartering regional governmental compacts in subchapter 34 B.
Four other new county compacts have been created by the state legislature and these are in Hampshire, Franklin, Barnstable Counties, and a regional planning council level for Berkshire County. Thus 9 of 14 Counties have some form of county regional governments. Worcester County could exercise that option if it chooses for example, for public safety and, or preparedness due to its rather large geography, by a request to and a special act of the legislature, by local referendum or by one of three mechanisms. See the references for the state statute, and the League of Women Voters link.
Like all of Massachusetts, Worcester County is a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections.
Communities
Cities
*
Fitchburg
*
Gardner
*
Leominster
Leominster ( ) is a market town in Herefordshire, England, at the confluence of the River Lugg and its tributary the River Kenwater. The town is north of Hereford and south of Ludlow in Shropshire. With a population of 11,700, Leominster is t ...
*
Southbridge
*
Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
(traditional county seat)
Towns
*
Ashburnham
*
Athol
*
Auburn
Auburn may refer to:
Places Australia
* Auburn, New South Wales
* City of Auburn, the local government area
*Electoral district of Auburn
*Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region
*Auburn, South Australia
*Auburn, Tasmania
*Aub ...
*
Barre
Barre or Barré may refer to:
* Barre (name) or Barré, a surname and given name
Places United States
* Barre, Massachusetts, a New England town
** Barre (CDP), Massachusetts, the central village in the town
* Barre, New York, a town
* Barre (c ...
*
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
*
Blackstone
*
Bolton
Bolton (, locally ) is a large town in Greater Manchester in North West England, formerly a part of Lancashire. A former mill town, Bolton has been a production centre for textiles since Flemish people, Flemish weavers settled in the area i ...
*
Boylston Boylston may refer to the following communities:
;Canada
* Boylston, Nova Scotia
;United States
* Boylston, Massachusetts
* Boylston, New York
* Boylston, Wisconsin
* Boylston Junction, Wisconsin
It may also refer to:
* Helen Dore Boylston, author ...
*
Brookfield
*
Charlton
*
Clinton
*
Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
*Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...
*
Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
*
East Brookfield
*
Grafton
*
Hardwick
*
Harvard
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
*
Holden
Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. It was an Australian automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter which sold cars under its own marque in Australia. In its last thre ...
*
Hopedale
*
Hubbardston
*
Lancaster
*
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
*
Lunenburg
*
Mendon
*
Milford Milford may refer to:
Place names Canada
* Milford (Annapolis), Nova Scotia
* Milford (Halifax), Nova Scotia
* Milford, Ontario
England
* Milford, Derbyshire
* Milford, Devon, a place in Devon
* Milford on Sea, Hampshire
* Milford, Shro ...
*
Millbury
*
Millville
*
New Braintree
New Braintree is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 996 at the 2020 census.
History
Before being settled by re-located residents of Braintree, Massachusetts, New Braintree was occupied by various Nat ...
*
North Brookfield
*
Northborough
*
Northbridge
*
Oakham
Oakham is the county town of Rutland in the East Midlands of England, east of Leicester, south-east of Nottingham and west of Peterborough. It had a population of 10,922 in the 2011 census, estimated at 11,191 in 2019. Oakham is to the west o ...
*
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
*
Paxton
*
Petersham
*
Phillipston
*Princeton, Massachusetts, Princeton
*Royalston, Massachusetts, Royalston
*
Rutland
Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire.
Its greatest len ...
*Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Shrewsbury
*Southborough, Massachusetts, Southborough
*Spencer, Massachusetts, Spencer
*Sterling, Massachusetts, Sterling
*Sturbridge, Massachusetts, Sturbridge
*Sutton, Massachusetts, Sutton
*Templeton, Massachusetts, Templeton
*Upton, Massachusetts, Upton
*Uxbridge, Massachusetts, Uxbridge
*Warren, Massachusetts, Warren
*Webster, Massachusetts, Webster
*West Boylston, Massachusetts, West Boylston
*West Brookfield, Massachusetts, West Brookfield
*Westborough, Massachusetts, Westborough
*Westminster, Massachusetts, Westminster
*Winchendon, Massachusetts, Winchendon
Census-designated places
*Athol (CDP), Massachusetts, Athol
*Baldwinville, Massachusetts, Baldwinville
*Barre (CDP), Massachusetts, Barre
*Brookfield (CDP), Massachusetts, Brookfield
*Clinton (CDP), Massachusetts, Clinton
*Cordaville, Massachusetts, Cordaville
*Devens, Massachusetts, Devens
*East Brookfield (CDP), Massachusetts, East Brookfield
*East Douglas, Massachusetts, East Douglas
*Fiskdale, Massachusetts, Fiskdale
*Hopedale (CDP), Massachusetts, Hopedale
*Lunenburg (CDP), Massachusetts, Lunenburg
*Milford (CDP), Massachusetts, Milford
*North Brookfield (CDP), Massachusetts, North Brookfield
*Northborough (CDP), Massachusetts, Northborough
*Oxford (CDP), Massachusetts, Oxford
*Petersham (CDP), Massachusetts, Petersham
*Rutland (CDP), Massachusetts, Rutland
*South Ashburnham, Massachusetts, South Ashburnham
*South Lancaster, Massachusetts, South Lancaster
*Spencer (CDP), Massachusetts, Spencer
*Sturbridge (CDP), Massachusetts, Sturbridge
*Upton (CDP), Massachusetts, Upton
*Warren (CDP), Massachusetts, Warren
*Webster (CDP), Massachusetts, Webster
*West Brookfield (CDP), Massachusetts, West Brookfield
*West Warren, Massachusetts, West Warren
*Westborough (CDP), Massachusetts, Westborough
*Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Whitinsville
*Winchendon (CDP), Massachusetts, Winchendon
Other unincorporated communities
*Chapinville, Massachusetts, Chapinville
*Cherry Valley, Massachusetts, Cherry Valley
*East Millbury, Massachusetts, East Millbury
*East Princeton, Massachusetts, East Princeton
*Farnumsville, Massachusetts, Farnumsville (also called South Grafton)
*Fisherville, Massachusetts, Fisherville
*Gilbertville, Massachusetts, Gilbertville
*
Hardwick
*Ironstone, Massachusetts, Ironstone (also known as South Uxbridge)
*Jefferson, Massachusetts, Jefferson
*Leicester Center, Massachusetts, Leicester Center
*Linwood, Massachusetts, Linwood
*Manchaug, Massachusetts, Manchuag
*Morningdale, Massachusetts, Morningdale
*North Grafton, Massachusetts, North Grafton
*North Uxbridge, Massachusetts, North Uxbridge
*Oakdale, Massachusetts, Oakdale
*Old Furnace, Massachusetts, Old Furnace
*Otter River, Massachusetts, Otter River
*Pitcherville, Massachusetts, Pitcherville
*Rochdale, Massachusetts, Rochdale
*Rockdale, Massachusetts, Rockdale
*Saundersville, Massachusetts, Saundersville
*Spindleville, Massachusetts, Spindleville
*Still River, Massachusetts, Still River
*Stoneville, Massachusetts, Stoneville
*Union Chapel, Massachusetts, Union Chapel
*West Sutton, Massachusetts, West Sutton
*Upton (CDP), Massachusetts, West Upton
*Whalom, Massachusetts, Whalom
*Wheelockville, Massachusetts, Wheelockville
*Wheelwright, Massachusetts, Wheelwright
*Winchendon Springs, Massachusetts, Winchendon Springs
Ghost town
*Dana, Massachusetts, Dana
Notable people
* Louisa May Alcott, novelist, daughter of Amos Alcott
* Johnny Appleseed, real name Jonathan Chapman
* Mike Barnicle, newspaper writer
* Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross
* Michael Beasley, NBA player, high school All-American; attended Notre Dame Preparatory School (Fitchburg, Massachusetts), Notre Dame Preparatory School
* Robert Benchley, writer, theater critic, actor, humorist, and member of the Algonquin Round Table
* H. Jon Benjamin, actor and comedian
* Ezra T. Benson, Mormon pioneer, missionary, Quorum of Twelve, and Utah territorial legislator
* Ken Bouchard and Ron Bouchard, NASCAR drivers
* Luther Burbank, horticulturalist; developed russet potato used in French fries by McDonald's
* William Cullen Bryant, poet, journalist and editor of the ''New York Evening Post''
* Effingham Capron, woolen and cotton mill scion who liberated slaves from the 1830s; led local, state and US anti slavery societies
* George M. Cohan, entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, director
* Robert Cormier, novelist and columnist
* Ron Darling, professional baseball pitcher, World Series player; local St. Johns High School star from Millbury, born in Honolulu
* Dorothea Dix, social reformer; activist
* Ralph Earl, famous portrait painter, artist of early America
* Fannie Farmer, cookbook author
* Abby Kelley Foster, radical abolitionist, women's suffrage
* Robert H. Goddard, father of American rocketry
* Ryan Gomes, NBA player; attended Notre Dame Preparatory School (Fitchburg, Massachusetts), Notre Dame Preparatory School
* Gabby Hartnett, greatest baseball catcher before Johnny Bench
* Abbie Hoffman, activist
* Elias Howe, invented the sewing machine
* Elliott P. Joslin, pioneer diabetes researcher and clinician; founded Joslin Clinic
* Walker Lewis, black abolitionist, Masonic Grand Master of African Grand Lodge #1, Mormon elder
* Connie Mack, baseball great and long-time baseball manager
* Nora Marlowe, character actress; best known for role on ''The Waltons''
* Agnes Moorehead, actress
* William T. G. Morton, contributor to modern anaesthesia
* Francis Patrick O'Connor, associate justice on Massachusetts Supreme Court
* Frank O'Hara, avant-garde poet and playwright
* Jeannine Oppewall, Hollywood producer, film art, four Academy Award nominations including ''Bridges of Madison County''
* Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry, songwriter and guitarist with Aerosmith; he was from Hopedale, and played his first gig at Mendon
* Amos Singletary, Anti-Federalist mill operator, justice for the peace, and state representative
* Brian Skerry, underwater photographer for ''National Geographic''
* Steve Spagnuolo, former head coach of the St. Louis Rams, currently the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants
* Lysander Spooner, pamphleteer, lawyer, abolitionist and political theorist
* Lucy Stone, famous suffragist, women's rights advocate, abolitionist, public speaker, first woman college grad in Massachusetts; first woman to retain her own name after marriage
* Lydia Taft, Lydia Chapin Taft, America's first woman voter; first colonial woman who voted legally in America
* Earl Tupper, a New Hampshire native, who pioneered Tupperware in Farnumsville, South Grafton, in the 1940s
* Hiram Walker, distillery founder
* Artemas Ward, major general of the American Revolution; the first Supreme Allied Commander of the Continental Army
* Daniel B. Wesson, co-founder of Smith & Wesson, a major firearm manufacturer
* Eli Whitney, invented the cotton gin
* Scott Young (ice hockey, born 1967), Scott Young, NHL professional hockey player, two-time Stanley Cup champion, United States Olympian; attended St. Mark's and Boston University
* Geoffrey Zakarian, Iron Chef and restaurateur
* Rich Gedman, Catcher for Boston Red sox, Born Worcester, Ma
See also
* List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income
* Registry of Deeds (Massachusetts)#Worcester, Registry of Deeds (Massachusetts) Worcester County District Registry of Deeds
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts
References
Further reading
* Mary Babson Fuhrer, ''A Crisis of Community: The Trials and Transformation of a New England Town, 1815-1848.'' Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2014.
*
External links
Worcester County SheriffWorcester County District Attorney's OfficeWorcester District Registry of DeedsLeague of Women Voters page on countiesMap of cities and towns of MassachusettsVideo guide to Worcester County (Worcester Love)Hampshire Council of GovernmentsWorcester County 4 H Fair
{{coord, 42.35, -71.91, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MA_source:UScensus1990
Worcester County, Massachusetts,
Massachusetts counties
Counties in Greater Boston
Worcester, MA–CT metropolitan area
1731 establishments in Massachusetts
Populated places established in 1731
1998 disestablishments in Massachusetts
Populated places disestablished in 1998