NAICS 62

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Worcester, MA

Metro Market Score 84.9 (Difficult), ranked #248 of 248 metros. 9,350 establishments, 72,626 jobs.

Metro Market Score 84.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national healthcare and social assistance average.

💰High-Cost Market

Worcester is a specialized hub for healthcare and social assistance, with a location quotient of 1.44 and industry concentration in the bottom 10%. Higher-than-average firm density means more competition for talent and customers, but also a deeper local supply chain and client pool.

Industry Concentration

91.1

LQ: 1.44

Rank #226 of 248 metros

Wage Competitiveness

78.6

$68,397 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 2.8

Employment growth index

Rank #242 of 248 metros

Wage Pressure

66.7

YoY wage change index

9,350 Healthcare and Social Assistance Firms in Worcester

9,350

Establishments

-11.0% YoY

72,626

Total Employment

-6.9% YoY

$68,397

Average Annual Wage

+8.5% YoY

1.44

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Massachusetts

#6 of 6

healthcare and social assistance metros in state

Massachusetts state rank

#40 of 51

for healthcare and social assistance entry risk

vs State Median

+14.6

worse than median (70.3)

Worcester vs Massachusetts Statewide

How this metro's healthcare and social assistance market compares to Massachusetts overall. The state ranks #40/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Worcester	MA Statewide
Overall Score	84.9 Difficult	48.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#248 of 248 metros	#40 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Worcester

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 61.4 Other Services 62.5 Information 65.6 Accommodation and Food Services 66.2 Administrative and Support Services 69.4 Construction 70.7 Retail Trade 74.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 76.1 Finance and Insurance 77.7

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other Massachusetts Metros

Amherst Town-Northampton 49.1 #127/248 Barnstable Town 68.2 #232/248 Pittsfield 69.7 #238/248 Boston-Cambridge-Newton 70.3 #239/248 Springfield 71.4 #240/248

Healthcare and Social Assistance Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Worcester's 84.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

New Haven, CT 80.3 #247/248 Morgantown, WV 80.0 #246/248

Healthcare and Social Assistance in States Bordering Massachusetts

State-level entry risk for healthcare and social assistance in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Connecticut 30.9 #8/51 Rhode Island 36.0 #17/51 New Hampshire 36.6 #19/51 Vermont 36.7 #20/51 New York 48.2 #39/51

Browse Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for healthcare and social assistance across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Worcester's healthcare and social assistance sector, the employment growth component (97.2) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Worcester, MA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment