Boston Ranks 15th, Worcester 87th in National Health Study

A new WalletHub study looking at 182 U.S. cities showed Worcester performing worst among Massachusetts cities. Scoring just 47 out of 100 points, Worcester fell well behind Boston, which earned 58 points and secured the 15th spot nationally.

"Location matters when it comes to health. Some places promote wellness by expanding access to nutritious food and recreational facilities. Others strive to keep healthcare costs affordable for everyone or keep parks clean and well-maintained. When a city doesn't take care of these important issues, it can be hard to keep up good health," said researchers to WalletHub.

The study looked at four key areas: healthcare access, food availability, fitness facilities, and green spaces. Data was pulled from reliable sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, CDC, and County Health Rankings.

Worcester showed poor performance across categories. It ranked 46th in healthcare, dropped to 112th for food options, hit 81st for fitness locations, and reached 95th for green spaces. These low scores align with broader health patterns, as Worcester County sits near the bottom - 11th out of 14 counties in the state.

Boston fared much better overall. The city grabbed 5th place for healthcare access, hit 12th in food options, reached 59th for fitness facilities, and landed 49th for parks and outdoor spaces. While San Francisco topped the national list, Brownsville, Texas came in last.

Doctor availability remains scarce in Worcester, with one doctor for every 971 residents - just slightly better than the state's ratio of 1:977. This highlights the ongoing shortage of medical providers.

Local organizations are working to address these issues. The Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance monitors health disparities across neighborhoods. Additionally, UMass Memorial Health partners with city health officials to identify barriers to healthcare.

Financial challenges compound health issues in the region. In 2011, unemployment reached 10.2%, higher than both Worcester County's 9.7% and Massachusetts' 9.3% rates.

Still, there's hope for improvement. The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences opened its downtown campus in 2000, training future healthcare professionals. Now, multiple groups collaborate to improve community health.