'Grim Reality': Worcester Area Rents Now More Out Of Reach, Report Says

WORCESTER, MA — Last year, a person would've needed to earn about $65,000 to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the Worcester area.

In 2024, the price has gone up — you now need to earn $66,400 to afford a two-bedroom here.

That's according to the annual "Out of Reach" report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition released last week. The report compares fair market rents in cities and towns across the U.S. against local median wages to determine the gap between earnings and housing costs.

As a whole, Massachusetts is now the second-least affordable state for renting in the U.S., up one slot from No. 3 in 2023. A person working full time at the state's $15 minimum wage would have to work 98 hours per week to comfortably afford a one-bedroom apartment. Working just 40 hours per week earning the state's minimum wage — which did not increase in 2024 — a person would only be able to comfortably afford rent of about $780 per month.

Although cheaper than the state, renting in Worcester is still difficult for people earning lower wages.

According to the report, the fair market rent on a two-bedroom in Worcester is about $1,661, which is almost $200 higher compared to the 2022 Out of Reach report. To earn than, a minimum wage earner would have to work 85 hours per week — unless they can find a job that pays a minimum of $31.94 per hour.

The report uses a U.S. Housing and Urban Development geographic area that includes communities surrounding Worcester, including Westborough, Shrewsbury, Holden, Grafton and Sturbridge.

The twin forces of low rental inventory and stagnant wages are making it hard for renters of all incomes to find housing, according to local officials.

Worcester District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj called on city officials to do more to construct affordable housing. Almost every large development project proposed in Worcester would offer only market-rate units. Some new buildings opening in the city are renting units for more than $4,000 — including two-bedrooms.

"The Out of Reach Report paints a grim reality for Worcester’s many low-wage renters and essential workers, who are just one paycheck or health crisis away from homelessness or displacement," Haxhiaj said in a news release. "The development boom in Worcester has slowed down, and thousands of market-rate units haven’t come online, primarily due to economic reasons. It will take a long time before these new developments help decrease rent costs for the rest of our residents."

Some steps the city could take, Haxhiaj said, include creating a housing and homelessness division in city government, using bonds to fund the construction of affordable housing and create a city council committee tasked with overseeing the response to homelessness.

Worcester Area from the "Out of Reach" report:

Renter households

• 82,586, 37%

Annual income needed to afford...

• Studio: $51,280
• 1 Bedroom: $51, 680
• 2 Bedroom: $66,440
• 3 Bedroom: $80,320
• 4 Bedroom: $88,480

Weekly hours at area median wage to afford fair-market rent...

• Studio: 66
• 1 Bedroom: 66
• 2 Bedroom: 85
• 3 Bedroom: 103
• 4 Bedroom: 113

Massachusetts from the "Out of Reach" report:

Renter households

• 1,029,654, 38%

Annual income needed to afford...

• Studio: $70,910
• 1 Bedroom: $76,807
• 2 Bedroom: $93,268
• 3 Bedroom: $113,311
• 4 Bedroom: $126,064

Weekly hours at area median wage to afford fair-market rent...

• Studio: 91
• 1 Bedroom: 98
• 2 Bedroom: 120
• 3 Bedroom: 145
• 4 Bedroom: 162