In May 2024, Greater Worcester Community Foundation and Worcester Regional Research Bureau partnered to launch Worcester County Insights, a county-wide community indicators platform offering the latest data on key indicators covering community life, demographics and diversity, economic mobility, employment and workforce, health and wellbeing, and youth and education.
Using data from Worcester County Insights, Worcester Regional Research Bureau is publishing briefs on topics of note in its series “Insights Insider.” The first edition of Insights Insider introduced the tool, the second edition focused on cost-burden in South County, the third edition examined voting in Worcester County, the fourth edition looked at Asthma in children, and the fifth on Growing Job Sectors.
We are proud to release the sixth edition, Insights Insider: Pre-K Education in Worcester County. Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) education plays a fundamental role in early childhood development. A well-developed Pre-K program can improve memory capabilities, social skills, task orientation, inhibition control, and emotional skills. Children can also display a stronger academic performance in literacy and math, as well as a decreased likelihood of grade retention. Building on Pre-K enrollment data accessible on Worcester County Insights, this Insights Insider expands the data’s scope to include additional private Pre-K options, and assesses potential hurdles to program accessibility such as geographic availability and affordability. Some insights from this edition include:
- Massachusetts nationally ranked as the second most expensive state for child care. Estimated annual costs by geography:
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- Massachusetts – $20,913
- Worcester County – $20,592
- City of Worcester – $15,671
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- Most Cost-Burdened Communities as Percent of Take-Home Pay
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- Leominster – 25%
- Worcester – 22%
- Gardner – 20%
- Fitchburg – 19%
- Athol – 17%
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For More, Read Insights Insider: Pre-K Education in Worcester County.