Population 7,554 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ball Square
Household size in Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.30 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.26 | 2.37 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.38 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.27 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Ball Square has 2.41 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Somerville overall, where it has 2.27 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.33, 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 Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.0 | 32.3 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.0 | 32.4 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.1 | 32.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.0 | 32.9 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +0.6 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Ball Square is young: half of its residents are under 33.0, 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 climbed from 32.0, in line with the national trend.
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 Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 8.0% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 7.7% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 6.6% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 3.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −4.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ball Square: 2.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Ball Square
Renters in Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.0% | 66.3% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 57.7% | 65.3% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 62.9% | 66.1% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 55.4% | 65.7% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −0.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ball Square rent: 55.4% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Even so, renters make up a smaller share here than in Somerville as a whole (65.7%). The renter share has fallen 1.7 points since 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 Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 9.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 2.5% | 5.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 6.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 6.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −3.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ball Square: 6.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Somerville as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1939 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1940 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1941 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1938 | 1945 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | ±0 | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Ball Square is a place of older homes: half were built before 1938, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,535 | $1,313 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,671 | $1,479 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,069 | $1,887 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,053 | $2,529 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,517 | +$1,216 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ball Square costs $3,053 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,517 a month since 2006–10, up 99%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 23.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the northwest.
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 Ball Square
Bachelor's degrees in Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.5% | 52.6% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 72.8% | 56.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 77.6% | 65.2% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 74.6% | 70.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +18.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Ball Square: 74.6% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.7% | 88.9% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.6% | 89.4% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.0% | 91.2% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.2% | 93.3% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +4.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ball Square: 96.2% 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 1.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Ball Square
| Period | Ball Square | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 6.6% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 6.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 3.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.5% | 3.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ball Square has been low: just 0.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 7.2 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Ball Square 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Spring Hill | 2.15 | 32.6 | 2.1% | 65.4% | 6.8% | 1944 | $2,497 | 78.3% | 96.6% | 2.5% |
| West Somerville | 2.04 | 35.4 | 4.3% | 70.2% | 6.4% | 1943 | $1,988 | 59.0% | 93.2% | 5.2% |
| Avon Hill | 2.04 | 32.8 | 2.5% | 54.0% | 7.5% | 1940 | $2,762 | 90.3% | 99.2% | 2.4% |
| North Cambridge | 2.22 | 34.9 | 6.3% | 66.0% | 10.2% | 1963 | $2,601 | 76.5% | 94.7% | 3.1% |
| Winter Hill | 2.42 | 33.7 | 5.8% | 59.4% | 6.5% | 1939 | $2,224 | 59.3% | 90.4% | 3.9% |
| Neighborhood Nine | 2.20 | 33.8 | 6.2% | 63.7% | 7.3% | 1961 | $2,581 | 80.6% | 99.2% | 3.9% |
| Ten Hills | 2.49 | 35.2 | 3.4% | 63.0% | 2.3% | 1947 | $2,315 | 44.9% | 83.4% | 1.9% |
| Aggasiz-Harvard | 1.97 | 31.1 | 2.7% | 66.0% | 19.4% | 1945 | $2,773 | 85.6% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
| 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: Westside, Binghamton, NY · Downtown Durham, Durham, NC · Centennial, Redwood City, CA · Machuchal, San Juan, PR · Northwest, Garden City, ID · South West, Hartford, CT · Berkeley Place, Martinsburg, WV · West Waco, Woodway, TX · Sovana, Spring Valley, NV · Southern Hills, Springfield, MO
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 Ball Square. 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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