Development in the downtown area included the building of Worcester Common's Fashion Outlet Center, an upscale outlet mall, as well as numerous specialty shops and boutiques. Worcester is predominantly residential in character. More than 1200 acres of city-owned parkland are found within its 38 square miles. Fifty public schools educate 20,000 children. Half of the entire city budget goes for educational purposes, testimony to the values of its inhabitants.
Outdoor enthusiasts are never at a loss for activities in Worcester.
The city enjoys acres of prime parkland with surrounding open countryside. Fantastic hiking, skiing, paddling, and biking are very close by. Worcester's central location provides easy access to New England's favorite and most famous sites. Boston is less than an hour away by either car or MBTA commuter train. Travel one to two hours in any direction, and you will be able to visit beautiful Cape Cod, the mansions of Newport, the Berkshires, the scenic foliage and skiing of Vermont and New Hampshire and the rocky coast of Maine.