Population 8,925 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Avon Hill
Household size in Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.93 | 2.02 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.93 | 2.08 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.14 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.04 | 2.07 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | +0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Avon Hill are small: just 2.04 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. Household size has climbed from 1.93 in 2006–10, 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 Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.7 | 33.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.7 | 32.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.3 | 32.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.8 | 32.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.9 | −1.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Avon Hill is young: half of its residents are under 32.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 35.7, even as the national median rose.
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 Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.3% | 7.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 6.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 5.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 6.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Avon Hill: 2.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Avon Hill has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Cambridge neighborhood.
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 Avon Hill
Renters in Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.6% | 64.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 51.6% | 63.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.0% | 65.2% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 54.0% | 66.6% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Avon Hill: 54.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Even so, renters make up a smaller share here than in Cambridge overall (66.6%). Among owners, 48.4% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Only one other Cambridge neighborhood has a lower share of renters.
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 Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 8.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 12.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 11.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Avon Hill than nationally: 7.5%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1940 | 1950 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1940 | 1950 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1941 | 1955 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1940 | 1959 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +9 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Avon Hill is a place of older homes: half were built before 1940, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the northeast. Only one other Cambridge neighborhood has older homes.
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 Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,559 | $1,429 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,600 | $1,610 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,309 | $2,241 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,762 | $2,761 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,202 | +$1,332 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Avon Hill costs $2,762 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,202 a month from 2006–10, a 77% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Avon Hill
Bachelor's degrees in Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.7% | 72.5% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 84.2% | 76.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 87.6% | 79.3% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 90.3% | 81.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +8.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Avon Hill: 90.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Cambridge neighborhood has a higher 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 Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.3% | 94.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.5% | 94.5% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.6% | 95.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.2% | 96.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Avon Hill: 99.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only two of Cambridge's 13 neighborhoods have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Avon Hill
| Period | Avon Hill | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 5.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 5.8% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 3.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Avon Hill has been strong: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.6 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Avon Hill 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| West Cambridge | 2.18 | 41.6 | 5.3% | 31.9% | 9.1% | 1938 | $2,931 | 88.0% | 98.5% | 5.5% |
| Aggasiz-Harvard | 1.97 | 31.1 | 2.7% | 66.0% | 19.4% | 1945 | $2,773 | 85.6% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
| Spring Hill | 2.15 | 32.6 | 2.1% | 65.4% | 6.8% | 1944 | $2,497 | 78.3% | 96.6% | 2.5% |
| North Cambridge | 2.22 | 34.9 | 6.3% | 66.0% | 10.2% | 1963 | $2,601 | 76.5% | 94.7% | 3.1% |
| Ball Square | 2.41 | 33.0 | 2.2% | 55.4% | 6.5% | 1938 | $3,053 | 74.6% | 96.2% | 0.5% |
| Tufts | 2.94 | 25.2 | 2.0% | 64.1% | 3.5% | 1938 | $2,908 | 88.6% | 97.6% | 2.9% |
| Mid-Cambridge | 2.00 | 32.2 | 3.7% | 61.6% | 11.9% | 1942 | $2,727 | 86.8% | 97.3% | 2.8% |
| 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% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Saddle Rock Golf Club, Aurora, CO · The Cape, Jacksonville, FL · Tatnuck, Worcester, MA · South Collinwood, Cleveland, OH · Pecan Creek, San Tan Valley, AZ · Pembroke Falls, Pembroke Pines, FL · Greater South Side, Des Moines, IA · Upper B Street, Hayward, CA · Edmund F Burton, Oak Park, IL · Rexland Acres, Bakersfield, 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 Avon Hill. 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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