Population 7,361 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Area IV: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Area IV
Household size in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.02 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.08 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.14 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.07 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.27 | +0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Area IV is a place of small households, averaging 2.24 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in Cambridge as a whole, where it has 2.07 people. Household size has dropped from 2.52 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only two of Cambridge's 13 neighborhoods have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.2 | 33.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.5 | 32.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.4 | 32.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.4 | 32.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | −1.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.4, Area IV is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the east. Few Cambridge neighborhoods are younger: only two of 13.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 7.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 6.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 5.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 6.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Area IV as they are nationally: 12.5%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Cambridge as a whole (6.3%). No other Cambridge neighborhood has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Area IV
Renters in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.4% | 64.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 68.2% | 63.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.9% | 65.2% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 77.8% | 66.6% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Area IV rent: 77.8% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 34.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 9.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 8.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 12.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 11.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.8% of homes in Area IV are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Only two of Cambridge's 13 neighborhoods have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1940 | 1950 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1941 | 1950 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1939 | 1955 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1959 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +22 | +9 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Area IV is a place of older homes: half were built before 1962, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1940 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,139 | $1,429 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,399 | $1,610 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,879 | $2,241 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,366 | $2,761 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,227 | +$1,332 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Area IV runs $2,366 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in Cambridge overall ($2,761). Rent has climbed $1,227 a month since 2006–10, up 108%, faster than rents rose nationally. No other Cambridge neighborhood has lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Area IV
Bachelor's degrees in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.7% | 72.5% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 66.1% | 76.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.6% | 79.3% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 71.0% | 81.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.3 pts | +8.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Area IV is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (71.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in Cambridge overall (81.4%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 16.3 points, as it has nationally. Only one other Cambridge neighborhood has a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.2% | 94.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.8% | 94.5% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 95.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 96.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Area IV is a bit above the national rate: 92.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in Cambridge overall (96.4%). The share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Area IV
| Period | Area IV | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 5.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 5.8% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 3.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Area IV than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Locally, though, the rate is higher than in Cambridge overall (3.3%). Unemployment is down 3.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Area IV compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area IV | 2.24 | 30.4 | 12.5% | 77.8% | 4.8% | 1962 | $2,366 | 71.0% | 92.0% | 4.2% |
| Wellington-Harrington | 2.28 | 31.1 | 10.9% | 73.9% | 4.5% | 1942 | $2,652 | 64.4% | 90.8% | 2.2% |
| Mid-Cambridge | 2.00 | 32.2 | 3.7% | 61.6% | 11.9% | 1942 | $2,727 | 86.8% | 97.3% | 2.8% |
| Cambridgeport | 2.01 | 32.9 | 8.4% | 64.5% | 7.1% | 1964 | $2,822 | 84.0% | 96.3% | 3.3% |
| MIT | 2.07 | 22.3 | 4.2% | 100.0% | 10.3% | 1977 | $2,752 | 97.0% | 99.8% | 3.8% |
| Riverside | 2.01 | 27.0 | 8.4% | 77.9% | 16.3% | 1956 | $2,788 | 76.0% | 97.3% | 4.0% |
| Union Square | 2.07 | 32.4 | 2.9% | 72.0% | 6.7% | 1947 | $2,522 | 75.1% | 92.8% | 2.6% |
| East Cambridge | 1.83 | 31.8 | 3.4% | 78.1% | 15.6% | 1984 | $3,165 | 82.0% | 96.5% | 3.3% |
| Aggasiz-Harvard | 1.97 | 31.1 | 2.7% | 66.0% | 19.4% | 1945 | $2,773 | 85.6% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
| Back Bay | 1.57 | 37.8 | 3.4% | 67.6% | 19.3% | 1950 | $2,565 | 84.2% | 96.6% | 4.1% |
| East Somerville | 2.43 | 36.4 | 12.0% | 67.7% | 4.4% | 1938 | $2,673 | 49.4% | 82.6% | 1.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: 25th Street, Ogden, UT · Millbrook, Grand Rapids, MI · Alki, Seattle, WA · Greenwood, Newport News, VA · Hamilton Main Street Historic District, Hamilton, OH · Inverness, Hoover, AL · Cumberland, Atlanta, GA · North Valley, Syracuse, NY · Oak Hill, Newton Center, MA · South Bay, Eureka, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Area IV. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.