About Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester ( WUUST-ər, locally [ˈwɪstə] ) is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the 114th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city had 206,518 people at the 2020 census, also making it the second-most populous city in New England, after Boston. Worcester is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston, 50 miles (80 km) east of Springfield, and 40 miles (64 km) north-northwest of Providence. Because it is near the geographic center of Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth"; a heart is the official symbol of the city. Worcester is the historical seat of Worcester County. Worcester developed as an industrial city in the 19th century because the Blackstone Canal and railways facilitated the import of raw materials and the export of such finished goods as machines, textiles, and wire. Many European immigrants made up the city's growing population. After World War II, manufacturing there waned; ... Read More