Metropolitan Area

Worcester, MA

Massachusetts0
51
/100
Hold
#707 of 894 metros
Top 79% nationally for investing

Market Snapshot

$482,611
Median Home Price
89% above national median
$2,182/mo
Median Rent
58% above national median
5.43%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 63% nationally
-$1,111
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$482,611
Down Payment (20%)$96,522
Loan Amount$386,089
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,182
Monthly P&I-$2,530
Est. Expenses (35%)-$764
Net Cash Flow-$1,112/mo
3.5%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-12.0%
Cash-on-Cash Return
5.43%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.5% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on metro-wide median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Individual counties and properties vary significantly.

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Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
51/100
51
Cash Flow(30%)
51/100

Based on 5.43% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
68/100

Based on 2.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Based on 0.0% population growth. Growing areas indicate economic stability.

Affordability(20%)
31/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow metro-level home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. This metro score represents area-wide averages; individual counties may vary significantly.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Low unemployment (0.0%)

Challenges

  • -Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,111/mo)
  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 3.5% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
  • -High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Counties in Worcester, MA

County data is being compiled for this metro area.

Compare to Similar Metros

Metro AreaVerdict
Batesville, AR
Batesville, AR
71$166,034$8816.37%BuyView
Somerset, PA
Somerset, PA
71$177,812$9096.14%BuyView
Richmond, IN
Richmond, IN
71$173,900$8706.01%BuyView
Marinette, WI
Marinette, WI
71$207,601$1,0165.87%BuyView
Bogalusa, LA
Bogalusa, LA
71$137,476Est.BuyView
Current
Worcester, MA
51$482,611$2,1825.43%Hold

Rent vs buy in this metro

Rent vs buy in Worcester, MAMedian $481,357 · rent $2,096/mo

The Bottom Line

HoldWorcester, MA is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals in specific counties.

The Worcester, MA metro area scores 51/100, ranking #707 of 894 US metros (top 79%). The 5.43% rent-to-price ratio may require targeting specific counties or creative strategies for positive cash flow. Current metro-wide averages make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or drilling down to specific counties.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-1,111/mo
Cap Rate
3.5%
Cash-on-Cash
-13.8%

Ready to Invest in Worcester, MA?

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