The Changing City – Starting a Conversation

Worcester’s population is changing. Since 1950, Worcester’s non-white population has grown substantially, fueled in part by immigration from South America, Africa, and Asia. Nearly 20% of Worcester’s residents reside in linguistically isolated households, meaning all members of the household age 14 or over have at least some difficulty speaking English. The Worcester Public Schools are even more diverse, with non-whites composing more than 60% of the student population and some 30% unable to perform ordinary classroom work in English. This Bureau Brief offers a quick overview of Worcester’s demographic changes and poses questions for consideration as cultures shift within the city.