Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County. Named after Worcester, England. Worcester is located approximately 40 miles west of Boston, and 38 miles northeast of Springfield. Due to its location in central Massachusetts, amidst Massachusetts' major metropolitan regions, Worcester is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth," thus, a heart is the official symbol of the city. Incorporated in 1722, Worcester is the third largest city in New England (behind Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island), and the second largest city in Massachusetts.
The city is well noted for its fine educational and cultural facilities which include Worcester State College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Assumption College, Clark University, Holy Cross and the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. It hosts the acclaimed Worcester Music Festival which is the nation's oldest annual festival and has been ongoing since 1858. Since the late 1980's biotechnology has been vital to Worcester's economy.
With all of its institutes of higher learning and biotechnology Worcester is none the less a predominantly residential city. Within its boundaries are more than 1200 acres of city owned park land and fifty public schools to educate its more than 20 thousand children. Worcester is a city that is extremely proud of its past and secure with its future
For sports enthusiasts, Worcester's central location gives residents and visitors easy access to numerous professional sporting teams. Worcester itself is home to a professional baseball team, the Worcester Tornadoes, who play in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, or Can-Am League. Boston to the east is home to Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox. For individuals who like minor league baseball action, nearby Pawtucket, RI is home Minor League Baseball's (MiLB) Pawtucket Red Sox, and Lowell, Massachusetts is home to the Lowell Spinners. The Red Sox are a Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, and the Spinners are a Class A Short-Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. For individuals whose interest turns to hockey, the National Hockey League Boston Bruins play in Boston, and the the American Hockey League (AHL) Providence Bruins, play in Providence. Other nearby sports teams include Major League Soccer's (MLS) New England Revolution, the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Softball New England Riptide, the NBA's Boston Celtics, the NFL's New England Patriots, the United Soccer League's (USL) USL-W Division Boston Renegades, and World Team Tennis' (WTT) Boston Lobsters.
Housing
Estimated median house or condo value in 2009: $230,100
Mean prices in 2009: All housing units: $273,241; Detached houses: $283,011; Townhouses or other attached units: $254,818; In 2-unit structures: $259,837; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $252,035; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $218,178; Mobile homes: $121,464; Occupied boats, RVs, vans, etc.: $199,585
Demographics
Population in July 2009: 182,421. Worcester covers 37.6 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 480 feet above sea level. Area codes: 508, 774
Weather
Worcester, MA climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 79.30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 15.80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be fairly limited during summer with a difference that can reach 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 16 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Worcester is 49.05 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is October with an average rainfall of 4.67 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
