Population 7,779 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Boxford
Household size in Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.03 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.01 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.94 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.00 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Boxford are large by national standards, averaging 3.00 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has edged down from 3.03 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only seven 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 Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.9 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.9 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.3 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Boxford skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 42.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.4% of households in Boxford, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 20 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower 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 Boxford
Renters in Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.4% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.2% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Boxford is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 5.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 30.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.9 points, 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 Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Boxford than nationally: 5.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Vacancy has risen 1.8 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 Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Boxford was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east 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 Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,067 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $812 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $919 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $877 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | −$190 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Boxford runs $877 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has fallen $190 a month since 2006–10, down 18%, even as the national median rose. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the north.
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 Boxford
Bachelor's degrees in Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.5% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 60.6% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.7% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 71.1% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Boxford: 71.1% 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 has risen 9.6 points since 2006–10, 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 Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 99.0% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.1% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.3% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Boxford: 98.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 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 Boxford
| Period | Boxford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Boxford has been strong: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only 19 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 3.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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).
Boxford compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxford | 3.00 | 47.9 | 4.4% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 1978 | $877 | 71.1% | 98.6% | 2.4% |
| East Boxford | 2.30 | 47.0 | 11.2% | 16.7% | 9.2% | 1960 | $1,783 | 54.7% | 99.2% | 4.5% |
| Georgetown | 2.65 | 43.7 | 4.9% | 16.0% | 2.2% | 1978 | $1,900 | 56.9% | 98.0% | 1.6% |
| Topsfield | 3.00 | 42.6 | 5.0% | 9.3% | 4.6% | 1970 | $1,057 | 71.5% | 97.5% | 2.1% |
| North Andover | 2.67 | 41.6 | 9.0% | 32.3% | 5.9% | 1976 | $2,450 | 61.4% | 96.6% | 3.4% |
| Groveland | 2.58 | 45.1 | 4.1% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 1975 | $1,773 | 45.7% | 96.1% | 6.0% |
| Middleton | 2.70 | 43.0 | 3.7% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 1986 | $1,485 | 41.9% | 91.0% | 3.3% |
| Rowley | 2.57 | 48.3 | 8.6% | 18.4% | 5.2% | 1973 | $1,706 | 56.9% | 99.6% | 3.5% |
| Byfield | 2.52 | 50.0 | 9.3% | 19.7% | 9.8% | 1986 | $1,781 | 56.9% | 96.2% | 2.1% |
| Haverhill | 2.59 | 40.7 | 13.9% | 37.2% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,643 | 32.1% | 90.2% | 5.9% |
| Andover | 2.67 | 42.2 | 8.1% | 20.5% | 5.7% | 1972 | $2,235 | 75.8% | 97.7% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Orefield, PA · Oak Grove, MN · Oak Harbor, OH · Oak Ridge, NC · Oakdale, LA · Odessa, MO · Old Forge, PA · Old Greenwich, CT · Old Orchard Beach, ME · Oliver Springs, TN
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 Boxford. 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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