Worcestershire finished third in Division Two of the Specsavers County Championship – and with the same number of wins as champions Essex.
Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes' side and Essex were the only counties to chalk up six victories in their 16 matches.
Worcestershire's triumphs – which all came in the final 11 games of the season – were evenly split between their headquarters and on opposition soil.
They came on top over Leicestershire, Northamptonshire – in a record home run chase when Daryl Mitchell scored two centuries – and Derbyshire at New Road.
Their away victories were registered against Leicestershire – bowled out for 42 in their second innings – Northamptonshire and Sussex when Miguel Cummins picked up 12 wickets.
Worcestershire picked up the fourth highest total of batting bonus points – 42 – after a series of substantial first innings totals during the first half of the campaign.
But they were seventh highest in terms of bowling bonus points – 35 – and often found it a difficult challenge to bowl sides out.
Rhodes said: "Is finishing third case of what might have been? I think so but when we started the campaign we always knew there were five or six decent sides and with only one team going up, it was always going to be really difficult to get promoted.
"The right result is Essex. They played some very good cricket this year and they played to what their potential is, They have under-achieved in the past. They played to their potential and blitzed the league.
"We knew we could have had some areas where we potentially should have picked up a few more points and wins but credit to Essex. They deserved to go up."
*Rhodes will be looking back at the 2016 season in detail in a question and answer session with the Worcestershire website.
SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
DIVISION TWO
FINAL TABLE
Essex Played 16, Won 6, Lost 3, Drawn 7, Batting 58, Bowling 46, Points 235
Kent 16, 5, 2, 9, 49, 38, 212
WORCS 16, 6, 4, 6, 42, 35, 203
Sussex 16, 4, 2, 10, 40, 38, 192
Northants 16, 4, 3, 9, 42, 33, 184
Gloucs 16, 4, 5, 7, 44, 40, 183
Leics 16, 4, 4, 8, 39, 40, 182
Glam 16, 3, 8, 5, 34, 42, 148
Derbys 16, 0, 5, 11, 32, 32, 119
*Leicestershire and Glamorgan one point deducted.
