Worcester, MA: Fair Market Rent by ZIP Code (FY2027)
ZIP-level rents for Worcester in Worcester County, effective October 1, 2026.
Data: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026), Census ACS 5-Year 2020–2024. Spot-checked against the official sources on November 5, 2026 (results). Last site change: November 10, 2026 (changelog).
Worcester is in Worcester County. HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole Worcester, MA area, $2,043 for two bedrooms in FY2027. Bedroom sizes, Section 8 payment standards and income limits for the county are on the Worcester County fair market rent page. This page shows what differs inside Worcester: the ZIP-level rents HUD publishes for metro areas and Census figures for the city itself.
Worcester fair market rent by ZIP code (FY2027)
The two-bedroom Small Area FMR runs from $1,870 (ZIP 01609) to $2,250 (ZIP 01602), 10% above the area FMR. 6 of 9 ZIP codes are above the area figure, 3 below it.
| ZIP | 0 BR | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2 BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01602 | $1,740 | $1,750 | $2,250 | $2,820 | $3,210 | +10% |
| 01603 | $1,520 | $1,530 | $1,970 | $2,470 | $2,810 | −4% |
| 01604 | $1,730 | $1,740 | $2,240 | $2,810 | $3,200 | +10% |
| 01605 | $1,650 | $1,660 | $2,140 | $2,680 | $3,050 | +5% |
| 01606 | $1,690 | $1,700 | $2,190 | $2,740 | $3,130 | +7% |
| 01607 | $1,610 | $1,620 | $2,080 | $2,610 | $2,970 | +2% |
| 01608 | $1,630 | $1,640 | $2,110 | $2,640 | $3,010 | +3% |
| 01609 | $1,440 | $1,450 | $1,870 | $2,340 | $2,670 | −8% |
| 01610 | $1,560 | $1,570 | $2,020 | $2,530 | $2,880 | −1% |
ZIP codes with at least 30% of their land area inside Worcester (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas). Mail ZIP codes and ZCTAs can differ slightly at the edges.
Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026, claims ledger), how SAFMRs work.
Rent in Worcester compared with Worcester County
The median gross rent in Worcester is $1,487 a month (±$38), 4% higher than in Worcester County as a whole ($1,426). Renter households in Worcester earn a median $48,532 a year (±$3,680), against $52,395 county-wide. The typical rent takes 37% of the typical renter income, and 54% of renters pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year 2020–2024 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070), place and county level.
Section 8 in Worcester
Where the housing authority uses ZIP-level figures, the voucher payment standard is normally 90% to 110% of the ZIP's Small Area FMR: for a two-bedroom unit in Worcester that is about $1,683 to $2,475 depending on the ZIP code. Otherwise the county-wide FMR applies. See payment standards and income limits for Worcester County or estimate the tenant share with the Section 8 calculator.