Population 7,682 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Arlington Center
Household size in Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.01 | 2.28 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.01 | 2.37 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.07 | 2.42 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.11 | 2.41 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.13 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Arlington Center are small: just 2.11 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.01, even as the national average fell.
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 Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1 | 42.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.2 | 42.8 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 41.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.0 | 42.6 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +0.2 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Arlington Center is 44.0 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The picture is much the same across Arlington. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northeast.
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 Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 6.8% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 6.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 7.4% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 5.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Arlington Center: 3.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 Arlington Center
Renters in Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.8% | 39.2% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 58.9% | 38.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 62.0% | 42.0% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 56.1% | 38.4% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −0.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Arlington Center rent: 56.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over a third of owners (34.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 6.0% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 7.2% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.0% of homes in Arlington Center are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of Arlington. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.8 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1945 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1946 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1948 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1947 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +2 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Arlington Center is a place of older homes: half were built before 1950, 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 1945 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the south 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 Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,177 | $1,296 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,278 | $1,414 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,685 | $1,747 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,810 | $2,047 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$633 | +$751 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Arlington Center pays $1,810 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in Arlington overall ($2,047). Rents are up $633 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 24.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Arlington Center
Bachelor's degrees in Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.5% | 62.1% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 67.7% | 67.9% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 68.0% | 71.4% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 69.1% | 76.9% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +14.8 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Arlington Center is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (69.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in Arlington overall (76.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.6 points, mirroring the country.
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 Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.1% | 95.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.8% | 96.1% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.0% | 96.6% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.8% | 98.1% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +2.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Arlington Center: 97.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Arlington. The share with a diploma has risen 2.7 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 Arlington Center
| Period | Arlington Center | Arlington | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 5.0% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 5.8% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 3.3% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 2.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Arlington Center is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Arlington as a whole (2.8%). Unemployment has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Arlington Center 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Center | 2.11 | 44.0 | 3.8% | 56.1% | 5.0% | 1950 | $1,810 | 69.1% | 97.8% | 5.1% |
| West Somerville | 2.04 | 35.4 | 4.3% | 70.2% | 6.4% | 1943 | $1,988 | 59.0% | 93.2% | 5.2% |
| Arlington Heights | 2.19 | 42.6 | 5.0% | 39.1% | 5.5% | 1946 | $1,557 | 70.8% | 96.4% | 2.3% |
| North Cambridge | 2.22 | 34.9 | 6.3% | 66.0% | 10.2% | 1963 | $2,601 | 76.5% | 94.7% | 3.1% |
| Tufts | 2.94 | 25.2 | 2.0% | 64.1% | 3.5% | 1938 | $2,908 | 88.6% | 97.6% | 2.9% |
| Ball Square | 2.41 | 33.0 | 2.2% | 55.4% | 6.5% | 1938 | $3,053 | 74.6% | 96.2% | 0.5% |
| Wedgemere Historic District | 2.43 | 48.4 | 7.1% | 23.5% | 4.2% | 1949 | $2,947 | 79.2% | 96.4% | 4.5% |
| Avon Hill | 2.04 | 32.8 | 2.5% | 54.0% | 7.5% | 1940 | $2,762 | 90.3% | 99.2% | 2.4% |
| Neighborhood Nine | 2.20 | 33.8 | 6.2% | 63.7% | 7.3% | 1961 | $2,581 | 80.6% | 99.2% | 3.9% |
| Strawberry Hill | 2.30 | 42.0 | 8.5% | 55.2% | 4.2% | 1947 | $2,714 | 80.7% | 97.8% | 1.6% |
| Cushing Square | 2.54 | 43.1 | 5.8% | 40.2% | 6.1% | 1939 | $2,818 | 76.6% | 96.9% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: 25th Street, Ogden, UT · Millbrook, Grand Rapids, MI · Venable, Charlottesville, VA · Bordeaux, Nashville, TN · North Valley, Syracuse, NY · Elmwood Park, Detroit, MI · Greenwood, Newport News, VA · East End, Alameda, CA · East Elmhurst, Queens, NY · Gross Point, Wilmette, IL
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 Arlington Center. 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.
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