The Research Bureau

09/15/2026

New Report Release! On Track for Zero Emissions? is a close analysis of electric vehicle (EV) adoption within Worcester County's sixty municipalities!

In 2025, according to the International Energy Agency, 25% of all vehicles sold worldwide were either battery electric or plug-in hybrids. In Worcester County, the number of battery electric and plug-in hybrid registrations (“zero-emissions vehicles”) grew from 0.44% of all vehicles in January 2021 to 2.21% of all vehicles in January 2026. While the number of registered zero-emissions vehicles remains low in Worcester County, it is growing.

For our full analysis and recommendations: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/09/on-track-for-zero-emissions

09/03/2026

In Paying for a Public Education, The Research Bureau continues its annual practice of explaining how Worcester Public Schools' budget works, highlighting revenues and expenditures, how Massachusetts determines what it costs for an “adequate education,” how WPS compares to other Gateway Cities, and what to watch out for in future years.

Read Paying for a Public Education: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/08/paying-for-a-public-education-fy27/

09/01/2026

Breaking Down the Budget is WRRB's annual examination of the City of Worcester's approved budget. The report reviews the budget process and governance structure, and dives into how the City funds services, allocates resources, and prepares for future challenges.

Read Breaking Down the Budget, FY27: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/08/breaking-down-the-budget-fiscal-year-2027/

08/27/2026

In Paying for a Public Education, The Research Bureau continues its annual practice of breaking down WPS' 2026-2027 budget of $623.8 million, an increase of 5.8% from last year. The report explains how WPS' budget works, highlights revenues and expenditures, how Massachusetts determines what it costs for an “adequate education,” how WPS compares to other Gateway Cities, and what to watch out for in future years.

Read Paying for a Public Education: FY27: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/08/paying-for-a-public-education-fy27/

08/20/2026

Breaking Down the Budget is WRRB's annual examination of the City of Worcester's approved budget. The report reviews the budget process and governance structure, and dives into how the City funds services, allocates resources, and prepares for future challenges.

The report highlights revenues for FY27 which totals $1.001 billion, crossing the billion-dollar threshold for the first time, as well as expenditures, which are divided across three main categories, Education (61% of the budget), City Services (21.6%), and Fixed Costs (17.2%). The report also explores the Capital Budget, which totals $172.8 million, $159.4M in FY27 borrowing and $13.4M in grants & other funding.

Read Breaking Down the Budget: FY27: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/08/breaking-down-the-budget-fiscal-year-2027/

07/22/2026

06/23/2026

WRRB releases a 2026 Update of Understanding Your Neighborhood Schools.

These dashboards, developed by Worcester Regional Research Bureau in partnership with WEC The Worcester Education Collaborative, update the 2024 dashboard with 2025-2026 enrollment data for the Worcester Public Schools, MSBA's 2025 survey data, and data from the 2024 5-YR American Community Survey. As of the 2025-2026 academic year, the Worcester Public Schools (WPS) enrolls 24,677 scholars across 45 elementary, middle, and high schools.

These dashboards serve as a valuable resource offering a comprehensive view of each school in the WPS District, including catchment zone maps.

Use the Interactive Data Dashboards: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/06/understanding-your-neighborhood-schools-2026/

06/12/2026

The Opportunity Zone (OZ) program uses federal tax incentives to encourage private investment in low-income communities. This brief brings attention to the next round of OZ designations and examines all 49 OZ eligible census tracts across Worcester County, including the 26 in the City of Worcester. An accompanying interactive map provides demographic, economic, tax, and transportation data to help stakeholders evaluate eligible census tracts for the next round of Opportunity Zone designations.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is seeking input from municipalities, developers, community organizations, and residents to help inform which eligible census tracts Governor Healey should nominate for OZ designation. The Administration has also created a 2026 Massachusetts Opportunity Zone Program website with general information about the OZs. Feedback about OZs and the designation process can be submitted through the Opportunity Zone 2.0 Municipal Input Form, which is open until June 17th. Members of the public can also submit feedback through the Community Feedback Form on how Massachusetts should approach OZ designation, which will remain available until June 30th.

Read the Brief or Interact with the Map: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/06/mapping-the-next-opportunity-worcester-countys-opportunity-zone-choices/

05/27/2026

Building on the Worcester Regional Research Bureau’s prior brief on the Housing Production Plan, Raising Housing: Understanding the Affordable Housing Crisis in Worcester moves beyond description to deeper analysis. While the earlier brief was designed to support public understanding of the HPP, this report examines the plan within a broader analytical framework, highlighting its most consequential findings and assessing their implications.

This report situates Worcester’s housing challenges and production targets within the national and statewide context of a growing housing affordability crisis. Drawing on a wide range of research—including national affordability gap analysis, statewide housing plans, and independent analyses of Gateway Cities—it considers how Worcester’s needs fit within a broader context of long-term underproduction, rising costs, and demographic shifts.

Read Raising Housing: https://www.wrrb.org/reports/2026/05/raising-housing-understanding-the-affordable-housing-crisis-in-worcester/

Raising Housing: Understanding the Affordable Housing Crisis in Worcester moves beyond description to deeper analysis of the Housing Production Plan within a broader analytical framework, highlighting its most consequential findings and assessing their implications.

05/26/2026

The City of Worcester and the Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB) will present a State of the City Address on Wednesday, June 17 at Worcester City Hall.

Learn more: https://www.worcesterma.gov/announcements/city-manager-batista-deliver-state-city-address-june-17