Elm Park
Neighborhood in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester County 01602, 01609
Wandering bridges at Elm Park, cheering for the Railers at DCU Center and more
Park Avenue splits the 58-acre Elm-Park green space. Wooded trails on the park's west side—called Newton Hill—cover nearly 4 miles. They lead to a grassy open summit with panoramic city views. This section has an 18-hole disc golf course, fitness equipment and athletic courts. The east side is smaller and manicured. Paved paths weave past a small pond, willow trees bend to create shade, children run around on the playground and streetlamps glow when the sun sets. Two red bridges stand out against the otherwise green park. The wooden Myra Hiatt Kraft Footbridge was designed by engineering students at WPI and built by Worcester Technical High School students. Installed in 2015, it's a replica of the bridge from the late 1800s that stood in its place. The adjacent Iron Bridge, named after the heart-shaped ironworks on its sides, is so steep that there are footholds to aid those crossing it. When the pond under these bridges freezes, locals go ice skating.As snow piles high during Worcester winters, locals can head to entertainment venues like the DCU Center, home of the Worcester Railers ECHL hockey team, and the Hanover Theatre & Conservatory, where touring Broadway shows take the stage. Live music venues like Mechanics Hall and the Palladium are also steps from the neighborhood.Triple-decker rentals and historic single-family homes
College-age renters and permanent Worcester families live beside each other in Elm Park. Houses are next to academic buildings, and old carriage houses are now detached garages. The neighborhood features some of the city’s signature triple-decker houses, three-story buildings with apartments on each level. “Worcester’s classic rental properties are those three-deckers, and those were built in the early 1900s for factory workers,” Abramoff says. “They’re around the perimeter and house a lot of college students. And then you have some single-family historic properties – some of those houses have been in the same family for decades.” Quaint Arts and Crafts style cottages, New England Queen Annes in fading pastel colors and classic Colonial Revivals are common. Single-family homes can cost about $350,000 to $950,000, depending on the size, age and condition. Those looking to invest in a multifamily house can find one for between $480,000 and $1.8 million. There are also some townhouses in the neighborhood, mostly new builds, which may range in price from $430,000 to $540,000.Worcester Public Schools and Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Students are zoned for Worcester Public Schools. They can attend Elm Park Community School, which gets a C from Niche, before Forest Grove Middle, earning a B-minus. Students can finish their public education at Doherty Memorial High School, which receives a B and has an Engineering Technology Academy with lottery-based admission. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, one of America’s first engineering and technology universities, is in Elm Park. While the private research university’s campus is closed off from public roads, the neighborhood houses many of its 5,000 undergraduates. The school's most popular majors include engineering, computer and information sciences and support services, and biology and biomedical science.Warhol in Worcester, Salisbury Mansion and iconic churches
Next to fraternity houses and Tuckerman Hall, where the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra takes the stage, sits the Worcester Art Museum. “It’s great for all ages,” Abramoff says. “We’re lucky to have it.” Inside the Neoclassical building, balconies overlook a central Renaissance Court with a 500-square-foot mosaic at its center. Above, visitors glide through galleries to view the museum’s small but impressive collection, which includes works by John Singer Sargent, Andy Warhol, Francisco Goya and Claude Monet. The bottom floor holds the country’s second-largest arms and armor collection and a twelfth-century Chapter House, which was once a monks’ meeting room and is the first entire work of architecture displayed in a museum.The Salisbury Mansion is across Institute Road from the museum. One of the best-preserved New England home museums, it once housed the prominent Salisbury family, who played a key role in turning Worcester from farmland to an industrial center. Trinity Lutheran Church, established in 1948 and built to resemble a Scandinavian parish, is also near the art museum. Nearby, on Russell Street, is another memorable house of worship: St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The limestone building with an orange stucco roof, a white dome and intricate iconography inside embodies a Byzantine style. The Worcester Historical Museum is also in the neighborhood and is the only institution in the area dedicated to local artifacts and history. Its exhibits include a tribute to the city’s industrial history and a display devoted to the smiley face, which was invented in Worcester.Community events in Elm Park
The Elm Park Summer Concert Series brings out the community for live, local music. Since the early 1990s, Worcester residents have sat on blankets and lawn chairs to watch different performers take the stage. Art in the Park adorns Elm Park with large sculptures during the summer and early fall months. At the Worcester Art Museum, Flora in Winter breathes life into an otherwise gray season when local florists create arrangements in conversation with different galleries.Worcester mainstays along Highland Street
Local restaurants line Highland Street. College students and long-term residents have been going to The Boynton Restaurant and Spirits since it first opened as a small tavern in the 1930s. “Everybody knows it, everyone’s been there and everyone thinks they’re the only one who knows about it,” says Abramoff, who worked at the restaurant for 5 years. Across the street, The Sole Proprietor serves seafood and trendy cocktails from its sleek, upscale interior. At Taqueria Del Pueblo visitors sip happy hour margaritas, while Thai Time combines classic cuisine and street-vendor-style recipes. A Price Chopper grocery store sits along Park Avenue, and a bit further up, there’s a Shaw’s, CVS pharmacy and more restaurants.Walkable neighborhood near transportation hubs like Union Station
With sidewalks and an irregular grid pattern of streets, Elm Park is walkable and near amenities that locals may need to access daily. The neighborhood is west of U.S. Interstate 290, which connects U.S. Interstate 495 and the Massachusetts Turnpike to Worcester. It’s also near U.S. Interstate 190, linking Worcester with Fitchburg and the North Central region. Boston is about 50 miles east, accessible by train from nearby Union Station. Saint Vincent Hospital is about a mile east. Downtown Worcester, the trendy Canal District and Shrewsbury Street’s restaurant row are all less than 5 miles from the neighborhood. When it’s time to fly, the Worcester Regional Airport is about 5 miles west, while the Boston Logan International Airport is about 50 miles east. “The Worcester airport is small,” Abramoff says. “But if you can figure out a trip out of there, it’s worth it. You can get there less than an hour before your flight, and you probably won’t miss it.”
Written By
Adreanna DeMarino
Photography Contributed By
Jack Lourenco
Video By
Logan Cox
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Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Robert Smith
Robert Smith
Mathieu Newton Sotheby's International Realty
(508) 625-7572
189 Total Sales
1 in Elm Park
$245,000 Price
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Luis Martins
Luis Martins
RE/MAX Synergy
(781) 390-9384
393 Total Sales
1 in Elm Park
$425,000 Price
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ZhiChao Chen
ZhiChao Chen
Space Realty
(855) 528-1854
160 Total Sales
2 in Elm Park
$350K - $385K Price Range
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Cynthia Walsh MacKenzie
Cynthia Walsh MacKenzie
Walsh and Associates Real Estate
(774) 772-5389
54 Total Sales
1 in Elm Park
$571,000 Price
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Elena Beldiya Petrov
Elena Beldiya Petrov
Keller Williams Realty Boston Northwest
(781) 776-7253
107 Total Sales
1 in Elm Park
$520,000 Price
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Luiz Fernando Coelho
Luiz Fernando Coelho
1 Worcester Homes
(774) 292-5434
81 Total Sales
1 in Elm Park
$550,000 Price
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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Parks in this Area
Elm Park
General Foley Stadium
Elm Park
- Picnic Area
- Trails
- Playground
Newton Hill
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Elm Park | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 5 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 6 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 5 | 4 |
| Robbery | 7 | 4 |
| Burglary | 5 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 5 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Elm Park Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Elm Park, Worcester sell after 28 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Elm Park, Worcester over the last 12 months is $465,000, up 60% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$469,900
Median Sale Price
$465,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$582,500
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$410,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$245,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
23
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
60%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$277
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
1,077
Number of Homes for Sale
4
Median Year Built
1915
Months of Supply
2.10
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,113
Above the national average
1,930
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
3,118
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,026
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
814
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
6,969
Open Houses
-
Tuesday, Jul 14:30 - 6pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
14,988
Median Age
31
Population under 18
21.8%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
11.8%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$38,550
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$59,169
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
83.7%
Below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
34.6%
Advanced Degrees
15.2%
% Population in Labor Force
53.7%
Below the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
49''
Average Winter Low Temperature
17°F
Average Summer High Temperature
79°F
Annual Snowfall
48''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
56
/ 100
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
87
/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
40
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Downtown Worcester
Lively urban center with entertainment venues and community activities
Bell Hill
Historic neighborhood east of downtown Worcester
Columbus Park
Grassy residential part of Worcester adjacent to Clark University
Green Island
Also called the Canal District, it's the heartbeat of Worcester
Indian Lake East
New England neighborhood with historic ties and convenience
Salisbury Street
Historic homes on quiet streets a short drive from Worcester mainstays
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