The most surprising thing about Worcester isn’t how it’s pronounced (it’s Wuh-stir, by the way). It’s the innovative edge the city has been honing at the headwaters of the Blackstone River, fueled by the 8 colleges and universities—and more than 35,000 students—that call Worcester home. Given these academic chops, the city ranks #35 for Educational Attainment among its citizenry (with over 30% of residents having a bachelor’s degree or higher). Emboldened, and with a population that is, for the most part, sub-35, Worcester is investing in its future. New innovation campuses, like the 46-acre Reactory Biotech Park, are recharacterizing a region with strong roots in manufacturing, education and healthcare. Last year, it was announced that the historic and long-vacant Worcester Memorial Auditorium would be transformed (and expanded) into an AI innovation center and entertainment facility. Meanwhile, new mixed-use developments are evolving Woo-town’s cityscape, which boasts the 6th-best green spaces in the nation. (Pound for pound, Green Hill Park gives any metro park a run for its money.) With one of the nation’s best healthcare systems (#17) and a truly diverse population—23% of residents are foreign-born—few mid-size cities are set up to deliver like Worcester.