City · Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, city, in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Fitchburg had 42,136 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 41,946 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 41,798 (±32). GEOID 2523875.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
42,136
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 41,946 · ACS 2020-2024: 41,798 ±32
Median household income
$73,040
±$5,455 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$336,400
±$11,346 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,222
±$89 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Fitchburg and what county is it in?
Fitchburg is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It covers 27.8 square miles of land, 1,508 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fitchburg is in the Worcester, MA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fitchburg, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 42,136 people lived in Fitchburg on July 1, 2025, up 0.5% since 2020, slower than Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 41,946 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 41,798 (±32).
| Measure | Fitchburg | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 41,798 ±32 | 867,788 | +1,096 |
| Households | 16,659 ±616 | 335,826 | +1,694 |
| Average household size | 2.40 ±0.09 | 2.50 | −0.20 |
| Housing units | 17,744 ±615 | 355,185 | +1,169 |
Fitchburg's population since 2000
From 39,102 in 2000 to 42,136 in 2025: up 7.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fitchburg as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fitchburg?
The median resident of Fitchburg is 36.3 years old; 20.6% are under 18 and 14.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 52.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 33.5%. 13.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fitchburg | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 ±2.0 | 40.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.6% ±1.6 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.3% ±1.2 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Male | 45.8% ±2.0 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 33.5% ±3.2 pts | 13.7% | +4.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 52.4% ±3.0 pts | 70.3% | −9.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 6.0% ±1.5 pts | 4.8% | +2.4 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±1.0 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±1.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 13.0% ±2.1 pts | 14.5% | +3.0 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 31.8% ±2.9 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.3% ±0.9 pts | 5.0% | – |
| With a disability | 16.6% ±1.6 pts | 13.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.0% ±0.6 pts | 2.5% | −1.6 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.7% ±1.7 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.1% ±2.5 pts | 39.7% | +4.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.8% ±1.4 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.2% ±2.1 pts | 88.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±0.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fitchburg earn?
Half of Fitchburg's 16,659 households earn less than $73,040 a year (±$5,455), against $95,939 in Worcester County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $70,404 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 15.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fitchburg | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,040 ±$5,455 | $95,939 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $92,450 ±$6,944 | $124,653 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,302 ±$2,849 | $48,914 | +$4,065 |
| People below the poverty line | 15.6% ±2.6 pts | 10.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.8% ±4.4 pts | 12.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.0% ±2.9 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±1.5 pts | 95.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.2% ±2.1 pts | 92.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fitchburg?
Owners occupy 54.1% of Fitchburg's occupied homes and renters 45.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $336,400 by its owner (±$11,346). The median renter pays $1,222 a month including utilities, and 42.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fitchburg | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $336,400 ±$11,346 | $423,700 | +$94,446 |
| Median gross rent | $1,222 ±$89 | $1,426 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.7% ±5.7 pts | 40.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,158 ±$70 | $2,387 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54.1% ±3.6 pts | 65.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.9% ±3.6 pts | 34.2% | – |
| Housing units | 17,744 ±615 | 355,185 | +1,169 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.4% ±1.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 42.4% ±3.3 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.9% ±0.7 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 42.8% ±2.9 pts | 27.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.2% ±2.2 pts | 8.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Fitchburg building?
Builders took permits for 30 new housing units in Fitchburg in 2025 (17 in single-family houses), 0.7 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fitchburg work and get to work?
72.8% of Fitchburg's workers drive alone and 10.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.7%.
| Measure | Fitchburg | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.3% ±1.8 pts | 66.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% ±1.7 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 72.8% ±3.2 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.7% ±2.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.7% ±1.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Walked | 3.1% ±1.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.3% ±2.0 pts | 15.6% | +6.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.1 min ±1.4 | 29.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fitchburg?
11 census tracts lie mostly in Fitchburg (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $23,661 (Tract 7107) to $100,243 (Tract 7111).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7102Worcester County | 6,765 | $96,050 |
| Tract 7108Worcester County | 5,052 | $68,472 |
| Tract 7111Worcester County | 4,899 | $100,243 |
| Tract 7106.02Worcester County | 4,508 | $52,857 |
| Tract 7103Worcester County | 3,604 | $99,216 |
| Tract 7110Worcester County | 3,414 | $64,880 |
| Tract 7105Worcester County | 3,409 | $56,563 |
| Tract 7101Worcester County | 3,189 | $86,397 |
| Tract 7106.01Worcester County | 2,899 | $68,048 |
| Tract 7104Worcester County | 2,404 | $87,800 |
| Tract 7107Worcester County | 1,655 | $23,661 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fitchburg) · Census block assignment files
How does Fitchburg compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fitchburg is the 985th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 34th-most populous of 58 in Massachusetts.
Fitchburg ranks 402nd of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 34th | 58 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 205th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 125th | 461 |
| Median household income | 402nd | 453 |
| Per capita income | 427th | 460 |
| Median home value | 406th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 304th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 27th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 421st | 459 |
| Median age | 436th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 423rd | 460 |
| Work from home | 373rd | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 313th | 459 |
Fitchburg's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Fitchburg with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fitchburg?
5 of the 57 figures for Fitchburg on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fitchburg are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Fitchburg.