According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age of Worcester residents is 33.6 years old. The median age of Massachusetts is 39.2 and the median age of the United States is 37.3.

Research in the Public Interest.

The City of Worcester, as established by the City Charter, is known as a modified Plan E form of government which is a Council-Manager form of government with a popularly elected Mayor. The Worcester Public Schools is a quasi-independent department of the City.

The City of Worcester, like most municipalities, has struggled with outstanding pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) liabilities. While the City is engaged on a plan to fund its pension obligations by 2032, there is no plan in place to address the more than $727 million owed for OPEB, which mainly consists of retiree health care costs.

The media plays a critical role in society, recording history, delivering information, analyzing issues, and highlighting the use and abuse of power. It is a vehicle for sharing, and debating, public opinions. Yet newspapers and other forms of media are also a business.

Non-profit organizations are recognized as important elements in a community’s social, cultural, educational, and civic framework. As such, they are given unique rights under both Federal and State law. These rights exempt them from certain municipal regulations and obligations. Our latest Bureau Brief - Non-Profits and Municipal Authority reviews a non-profit’s exceptional status when it comes to local control.

As a Massachusetts “Gateway City,” Worcester has welcomed residents from diverse backgrounds for decades. Prior to 1950, most new residents were born in or descended from European countries. Since 1950, the city began to attract greater numbers of residents from South America, Africa, and Asia. How has the face of Worcester changed over the last few decades? How has civic life changed as a result of the influx of new cultures? Or has it?

Under the City Charter, the City of Worcester has a modified Plan E form of government. As the City welcomes a new city manager, some have argued that the structure of Worcester government should change. “Charting Worcester’s Course” outlines the process necessary to revise the City Charter.

As the Worcester Redevelopment Authority and City of Worcester consider the establishment of a new urban renewal plan focused on the Downtown, the Research Bureau offers Bureau Brief – Urban Renewal to inform policymakers and the public of the role of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority and the powers of urban renewal.

In the 2014 school year, over 7,500 students graduated from 12 Greater Worcester colleges and universities. These graduates represent a broad range of academic credentials and professional interests.