Worcester

Founded and incorporated as a town in 1722 and incorporated in 1848 as a city, Worcester developed as an industrial city in the 19th century due to the Blackstone Canal and railways, which facilitated the import of raw materials and the export of finished goods such as machines, textiles, and wire. The city's population grew, driven by European immigration. After World War II, manufacturing in Worcester waned, and the city declined, both economically and in terms of population. This trend was reversed in the 1990s, when higher education, medicine, biotechnology, and new immigrants started making their mark on the city. The population has grown by 28% since 1980, reaching its all-time high in the 2020 census, in an example of urban renewal.