Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Worcester, MA
The average asking rent in Worcester, MA is $2,178/month as of 2026-04. That is +2.2% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$2,178/mo
as of 2026-04
Year-over-Year Change
+2.2%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Worcester, MA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04 | $2,178 | +0.46% |
| 2026-03 | $2,168 | -0.14% |
| 2026-02 | $2,171 | +0.23% |
| 2026-01 | $2,166 | -0.09% |
| 2025-12 | $2,168 | +0.18% |
| 2025-11 | $2,164 | -0.09% |
| 2025-10 | $2,166 | -0.32% |
| 2025-09 | $2,173 | -0.18% |
| 2025-08 | $2,177 | +0.18% |
| 2025-07 | $2,173 | +0.74% |
| 2025-06 | $2,157 | +0.75% |
| 2025-05 | $2,141 | +0.42% |
| 2025-04 | $2,132 | +0.66% |
| 2025-03 | $2,118 | +1.00% |
| 2025-02 | $2,097 | +0.53% |
| 2025-01 | $2,086 | +0.68% |
| 2024-12 | $2,072 | -0.10% |
| 2024-11 | $2,074 | +0.44% |
| 2024-10 | $2,065 | -0.39% |
| 2024-09 | $2,073 | +0.34% |
| 2024-08 | $2,066 | +0.39% |
| 2024-07 | $2,058 | +0.98% |
| 2024-06 | $2,038 | +0.64% |
| 2024-05 | $2,025 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices