COUNTY REPORT MA

Worcester County, Massachusetts

102 ZIP codes · Avg score 58/100 · Grade C · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Worcester County: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

The systems supplying Worcester County's 102 ZIP codes vary in performance - most meet minimum standards, but violations in select areas are on record.

How Worcester County Compares

Worcester County58/100
Massachusetts avg70/100
National avg73/100

How Worcester County Compares

C
County Grade
58/100
Avg Safety Score
102
ZIP Codes
61
Water Systems

Worcester County scores 12 points below the Massachusetts state average (70/100) and 15 points below the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:

C
County Grade
58
Avg Safety Score
102
ZIP Codes
Athol
Best ZIP: 01331 (67/100)
South Grafton
Lowest ZIP: 01560 (37/100)
$389K
Median Home Value
$2,352
Avg Remediation (60% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Worcester County, Massachusetts

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 12.2 (asthma 12.1%, diabetes 10.4%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,592, driven primarily by flood

68.7% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

Violation History (2021–2025)

↓ Improving trend

EPA violation counts by year across Worcester County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.

2021
2 (2 health)
2022
8 (8 health)
2023
4 (4 health)
2024
4 (4 health)
2025
1 (1 health)

Peak year: 2022 with 8 violations. Past 5 years: 19 total (19 health-based). Health-based violations are declining versus the prior 2-year window.

Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 12.1% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.4% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 32.6% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1969
Median Build Year
68.7%
Pre-1978 Housing
50/100
Infrastructure Stress Indicator
88%
ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress
High
Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,592

Flood $532/yr
Energy Code Gap $502/yr
Sea Level Rise $400/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

351,437 housing units in Worcester County

Pre-1940 28%
1940–1959 17%
1960–1979 20%
1980–1999 21%
2000+ 13%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Worcester County

$389K
Median Home Value
$2,352
Est. Remediation Cost
0.6%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Worcester County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Worcester County residents

Asthma 12.1% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.4% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 32.6% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems serving Worcester County

8 community water systems serving Worcester County.

Show all 8 water systems

61 total water systems serve Worcester County.

Systems with the most violations in Worcester County

5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.

All ZIP Codes in Worcester County

102 ZIP codes tracked in Worcester County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 01331 Athol 67 C 0 $257K
2 01475 Winchendon 67 C 0 $295K
3 01510 Clinton 67 C 0 $348K
4 01516 Douglas 67 C 0 $437K
5 01532 Northborough 67 C 0 $599K
6 01534 Northbridge 67 C 0 $452K
7 01535 North Brookfield 67 C 0 $317K
8 01537 North Oxford 67 C 0 $338K
9 01550 Southbridge 67 C 0 $267K
10 01562 Spencer 67 C 0 $368K
11 01602 Worcester 67 C 0 $381K
12 01604 Worcester 67 C 0 $322K
13 01605 Worcester 67 C 0 $350K
14 01612 Paxton 67 C 0 $465K
15 01745 Fayville 67 C 0 $647K
16 01772 Southborough 67 C 0 $817K
17 01430 Ashburnham 66 C 1 $370K
18 01440 Gardner 66 C 2 (1 health) $271K
19 01515 East Brookfield 66 C 2 $342K
20 01518 Fiskdale 66 C 1 $410K
21 01566 Sturbridge 66 C 1 $393K
22 01571 Dudley 66 C 2 $372K
23 01588 Whitinsville 66 C 2 $414K
24 01590 Sutton 66 C 2 $526K
25 01606 Worcester 66 C 2 $344K
26 01434 Devens 65 C 6 $472K
27 01524 Leicester 65 C 1 $391K
28 01542 Rochdale 65 C 1 $380K
29 01568 Upton 65 C 35 $559K
30 01603 Worcester 65 C 3 (1 health) $288K
31 01611 Cherry Valley 65 C 1 $306K
32 01543 Rutland 64 C 4 (4 health) $439K
33 01005 Barre 61 C 17 $329K
34 01074 South Barre 61 C 17 —
35 01420 Fitchburg 50 D 0 $295K
36 01436 Baldwinville 50 D 0 $308K
37 01453 Leominster 50 D 0 $346K
38 01462 Lunenburg 50 D 0 $443K
39 01468 Templeton 50 D 0 $359K
40 01473 Westminster 50 D 0 $394K
41 01504 Blackstone 50 D 0 $395K
42 01520 Holden 50 D 0 $444K
43 01522 Jefferson 50 D 0 $386K
44 01523 Lancaster 50 D 0 $467K
45 01527 Millbury 50 D 0 $416K
46 01569 Uxbridge 50 D 0 $418K
47 01747 Hopedale 50 D 0 $456K
48 01757 Milford 50 D 0 $444K
49 01570 Webster 49 D 2 $340K
50 01583 West Boylston 49 D 2 $400K
51 01607 Worcester 49 D 2 $341K
52 01501 Auburn 48 D 5 (1 health) $363K
53 01564 Sterling 48 D 2 (1 health) $467K
54 01536 North Grafton 41 D 27 $451K
55 01545 Shrewsbury 41 D 28 $556K
56 01519 Grafton 38 F 30 $573K
57 01581 Westborough 38 F 56 (1 health) $638K
58 01560 South Grafton 37 F 32 $443K
59 01031 Gilbertville — — $238K
60 01037 Hardwick — — $409K
61 01068 Oakham — — $380K
62 01083 Warren — — 0 $375K
63 01092 West Warren — — 0 $326K
64 01094 Wheelwright — — $433K
65 01366 Petersham — — $375K
66 01368 Royalston — — 0 $325K
67 01438 East Templeton — — $243K
68 01441 Westminster — — —
69 01451 Harvard — — 2 $849K
70 01452 Hubbardston — — $342K
71 01467 Still River — — —
72 01503 Berlin — — 120 $567K
73 01505 Boylston — — 0 $579K
74 01506 Brookfield — — 0 $313K
75 01507 Charlton — — $405K
76 01508 Charlton City — — —
77 01509 Charlton Depot — — —
78 01525 Linwood — — —
79 01526 Manchaug — — —
80 01529 Millville — — $418K
81 01531 New Braintree — — $387K
82 01538 North Uxbridge — — —
83 01540 Oxford — — 0 $346K
84 01541 Princeton — — $496K
85 01546 Shrewsbury — — —
86 01561 South Lancaster — — —
87 01580 Westborough — — —
88 01582 Westborough — — —
89 01585 West Brookfield — — 0 $320K
90 01586 West Millbury — — —
91 01601 Worcester — — —
92 01608 Worcester — — 0 $117K
93 01609 Worcester — — 0 $422K
94 01610 Worcester — — 0 $279K
95 01613 Worcester — — —
96 01614 Worcester — — —
97 01615 Worcester — — —
98 01653 Worcester — — —
99 01654 Worcester — — —
100 01655 Worcester — — —
101 01740 Bolton — — 121 $722K
102 01756 Mendon — — 0 $606K

Recommended Buyer Guides for Worcester County

Below: editorial picks, no sponsored placements.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Worcester County, Massachusetts

Overview

Worcester County in Massachusetts covers 102 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of C (58/100) across 58 scored records.

31 of 72 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 8 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to Massachusetts Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Worcester County?
Worcester County receives a grade of C. Some ZIP codes have recorded violations and residents in affected areas may want to test their water.
How many water systems serve Worcester County?
Worcester County is served by 61 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 102 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Worcester County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Worcester County is flood. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $1,592 per homeowner.
How old are homes in Worcester County?
The median home build year in Worcester County is 1969. 68.7% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and older plumbing materials.
How does Worcester County compare to Massachusetts?
Worcester County has an average Home Safety Score of 58/100 under model 4.0.0, which is below the Massachusetts state average of 70/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Worcester County, MA: HSS 58/100; PFAS Found in Water. https://zipcheckup.com/county/massachusetts/worcester/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-county-massachusetts-worcester,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Worcester County, MA: HSS 58/100; PFAS Found in Water}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/massachusetts/worcester/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

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