Commercial Real Estate Market in Worcester, MA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
460 active listings and 3,396 off-market properties in Worcester, MA. Commercial property asks $163/SF to buy and $20.50/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Worcester, MA spans 53.3 square miles in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Worcester, MA runs 19.9% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 13.1% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Retail
Retail vacancy in Worcester, MA runs 6% across the Northeast region in 2025, little changed from 6% in 2019. Down from a 2020 peak of 7.1%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Worcester, MA runs 7.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 5.4% in 2019. Nearly 2.4x the 2021 low of 3.2%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Multifamily
Multifamily space in Worcester, MA asks $216/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 5.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 4% in 2022.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 72.3%
- Commercial 11%
- Industrial 10.5%
- Special 3.4%
- Civic 2.2%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Single Family Residential 7000 Square Feet Minimum Lot Size
Limited Residential 7000 Square Feet Minimum Lot Size
General Residential 5000 Square Feet Minimum Lot Size
Single Family Residential 10000 Square Feet Minimum Lot Size
General Manufacturing 2 To 1 Floor Area Ratio
Worcester, MA zones 24,619 acres across 20 districts. Commercial zoning covers 11% of zoned land, residential 72.3% and industrial 10.5%. The largest single district is Single Family Residential 7000 Square Feet Minimum Lot Size at 37.7%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 21.4% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Single Family Residential 7000 Square Feet Minimum Lot Size (RS-7)
The purpose of the RS-7 is the promotion of residential uses and related uses
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Worcester, MA has 211,981 residents in 87,190 households. Density runs 3,979 people per square mile. Median household income here is $69,288 and median gross rent $1,421 a month.
211,981
Population
87,190
Households
2.4
Avg Household Size
35
Median Age
34%
College-Educated
85%
High-School Grad
53.3 sq mi
ZIP Area
3,979
Density / Sq Mi
$69,288
Median Household Income
$41,310
Median Earnings
$1,421
Median Rent
$336,338
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $20.50/SF/Yr lease vs $163/SF buy → buying wins if held > 0.9 years.
At a 12.6% gross asking yield the payback reads short relative to leasing. Assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% a year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost, 2% closing plus 5% selling costs, and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Shrewsbury | — | $19.59 |
| Millbury | — | — |
| Grafton | — | — |
| Holden | — | — |
Commercial property in Worcester, MA asks $163/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Worcester?
Commercial property in Worcester, MA asks an average of $163 per square foot. The 7 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $243/SF. Multifamily carries the highest asking price at $216/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Worcester?
Asking lease rates in Worcester, MA average $20.50 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in Worcester?
Buying beats leasing in Worcester, MA if the property is held longer than 0.9 years, comparing $20.50/SF/Yr asking rent with $163/SF asking price. The model assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% of value per year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost on the cash and a 3% annual rent escalator.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Worcester?
Worcester, MA zones 24,619 acres across 20 districts, of which 11% is commercial and 10.5% industrial. The largest single district is Single Family Residential 7000 Square Feet Minimum Lot Size at 37.7% of zoned land. The purpose of the RS-7 is the promotion of residential uses and related uses Residential zoning covers 72.3% and open space 0%.
Where does Realmo's Worcester market data come from?
Realmo compiles Worcester, MA figures from 8 recent recorded sales, 251 active sale listings, 209 active lease listings, 3,396 tracked off-market properties, the current Worcester zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 251 active for-sale and 209 active for-lease listings in Worcester, MA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 24,619 zoned acres across 20 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at Northeast region level, retail vacancy is reported at Northeast region level and industrial vacancy is reported at Northeast region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
