The Boston metro area: Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Rockingham, Strafford and Suffolk counties · Population 4,953,354 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in the Boston area
Household size in the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in the Boston area run a little small, averaging 2.55 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The figure for Massachusetts is much the same. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 40.8, the median age in the Boston area is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.9, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the center 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 the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in the Boston area (9.7%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. The Boston area has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of large metro areas.
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 the Boston area
Renters in the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in the Boston area than nationally: 38.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 33.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in the Boston area: 6.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.4 points, mirroring the country. The Boston area has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five large metro areas.
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 the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The Boston area is a place of older homes: half were built before 1964, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east. Of the 100 large U.S. metro areas, only five have 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 the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in the Boston area costs $2,051 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $881 a month since 2006–10, up 75%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 the Boston area
Bachelor's degrees in the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
The Boston area is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (51.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 100 large U.S. metro areas, only four have 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 the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in the Boston area have finished high school (91.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Massachusetts comes in at about the same level. The share with a diploma is up 2.1 points from 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 the Boston area
| Period | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in the Boston area is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Largest cities in the Boston area
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston area (all) | 2.55 | 40.8 | 9.7% | 38.4% | 6.7% | 1964 | $2,051 | 51.9% | 91.8% | 4.9% |
| Cambridge | 2.07 | 32.1 | 6.3% | 66.6% | 11.0% | 1959 | $2,761 | 81.4% | 96.4% | 3.3% |
| Lowell | 2.73 | 35.4 | 17.8% | 56.8% | 5.3% | 1953 | $1,628 | 29.2% | 82.6% | 5.8% |
| Brockton | 2.98 | 37.1 | 19.6% | 42.6% | 5.8% | 1957 | $1,637 | 22.5% | 82.0% | 8.3% |
| Quincy | 2.29 | 40.5 | 6.5% | 54.7% | 6.5% | 1959 | $2,167 | 50.1% | 90.5% | 6.9% |
| Lynn | 2.93 | 37.3 | 19.1% | 52.4% | 4.8% | 1950 | $1,843 | 24.1% | 78.2% | 4.6% |
| Lawrence | 2.93 | 33.6 | 26.2% | 71.7% | 3.0% | 1951 | $1,671 | 15.8% | 72.6% | 9.2% |
| Somerville | 2.27 | 32.9 | 3.9% | 65.7% | 6.6% | 1945 | $2,529 | 70.5% | 93.3% | 3.2% |
| Framingham | 2.65 | 39.1 | 12.4% | 45.2% | 5.6% | 1966 | $2,011 | 47.5% | 86.2% | 4.9% |
| Haverhill | 2.59 | 40.7 | 13.9% | 37.2% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,643 | 32.1% | 90.2% | 5.9% |
| Malden | 2.57 | 36.9 | 10.4% | 58.7% | 8.9% | 1955 | $2,246 | 46.0% | 85.9% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Metro areas of similar size: Seattle area · Detroit area · Riverside area · San Francisco area · Phoenix area · Atlanta area · Miami area · Philadelphia area · Washington area · Houston area
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 the Boston area. 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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