The Town FilesRutland, Massachusetts
Community in Worcester County · population 2,179 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $406,600
- Household income
- $95,724
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 49.0
Rutland is a community of 2,179 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $406,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Massachusetts towns, more of a college town than 96% of Massachusetts towns.
How Rutland ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rutland is worth $406,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $95,724, which is more affordable than 65% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,061 a month. 82.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rutland | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $406,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,061 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $95,724 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 82.5% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rutland
| People | Rutland | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.0% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.4% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Rutland
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 12.8°F. About 47.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.4 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rutland since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 9, 1953 about 2.8 miles from the town center and killed 90. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 92 deaths and 1,233 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 30, 1960.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Rutland itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Towns near Rutland
- Rutland, MA1.3 mi · 9,049 people · home $462,800
- Paxton, MA4.2 mi · 5,004 people · home $472,300
- Oakham, MA4.6 mi · 1,851 people · home $420,100
- Holden, MA5.0 mi · 19,905 people · home $470,700
- Princeton, MA7.0 mi · 3,495 people · home $520,500
- Barre, MA8.4 mi · 1,029 people · home $348,000
- Barre, MA8.5 mi · 5,530 people · home $394,300
- Spencer, MA8.7 mi · 5,810 people · home $341,300
Rutland questions
Is Rutland, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rutland scores better for retirees than 36% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 35%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.0).
How much does a house cost in Rutland?
The median owner-occupied home in Rutland is valued at $406,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,724, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,061 a month.
What is the weather like in Rutland?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 12.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.7 inches of precipitation a year and 60.4 inches of snow.
Does Rutland get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rutland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)