Worcester County, MA zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Worcester County: Worcester, Leominster, Fitchburg.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Worcester County has 421 FIRM panels, the newest effective July 2025; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Worcester house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the MassGIS, Property Tax Parcels from city and town assessors, so a Worcester lot shows the same lines the town assessor draws. Worcester County covers about 966,830 acres of land and 43,828 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The town assessors in Worcester County keep the parcel record; a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Massachusetts zoning is set by each city and town, not by the county: in Worcester County, Worcester, Leominster, Fitchburg each zone the land inside their limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the town building or zoning office has the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs. The Worcester County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under Massachusetts's Zoning Act (General Laws Chapter 40A), each city and town can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Worcester lot can add one depends on its district; the town building or zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Worcester County is soil survey area MA613, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Northeastern Part, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Worcester County needs a permit from the town or city board of health (under MassDEP Title 5 rules).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Worcester County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the town building or zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and Worcester, Leominster, Fitchburg for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Worcester lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Worcester County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Worcester County has 421 panels, the newest effective July 2025. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Worcester County?
Open the Massachusetts map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the town assessors in Worcester County shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Worcester County?
Zoning in Worcester County is set by each city and town (such as Worcester, Leominster), not by the county. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the town building or zoning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Worcester County?
Under Massachusetts's Zoning Act (General Laws Chapter 40A), each city and town can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Worcester County ask the town building or zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Worcester County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Worcester County needs a permit from the town or city board of health (under MassDEP Title 5 rules). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area MA613 (Worcester County, Massachusetts, Northeastern Part).
What can I build on 5 acres in Worcester County?
Zoning in Worcester County is set by each city and town, not the county (such as Worcester, Leominster). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the town building or zoning office has the district and its rules.
What are the residential setbacks in Worcester County (2026)?
Setbacks in Worcester County come from the zoning code of the municipality the lot sits in: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the town building or zoning office gives them for the district.
Next to Worcester County: Franklin County, Hampden County, Hampshire County, Middlesex County, Norfolk County.
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