Population 9,750 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brewster
Household size in Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.17 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.23 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.20 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Brewster are small: just 2.20 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. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 26 have smaller 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 Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 54.5 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 55.1 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 58.2 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.7 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Brewster skews older: half of its residents are older than 58.2, 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 52.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only two are older.
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 Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Brewster: 4.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 3.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 18 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 Brewster
Renters in Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.8% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Brewster is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 45.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 2.6 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 Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.9% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 39.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.6% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Brewster: 44.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 5.7 points, 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 Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Brewster was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Massachusetts as a whole, where the median home dates to 1963. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 26 have newer 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 Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,033 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,027 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,241 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,565 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$532 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Brewster costs $1,565 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Massachusetts as a whole ($1,860). Rents are up $532 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Brewster
Bachelor's degrees in Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.3% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.9% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.2% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.9 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Brewster: 61.2% 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 14.9 points from 2006–10, 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 Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.7% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.9% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.2% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.7% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Brewster: 97.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Brewster has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
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 Brewster
| Period | Brewster | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Brewster runs well above the national rate: 8.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only nine have higher unemployment. Unemployment has risen 3.1 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).
Brewster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brewster | 2.20 | 58.2 | 4.2% | 14.8% | 44.6% | 1982 | $1,565 | 61.2% | 97.7% | 8.2% |
| East Harwich | 2.04 | 61.4 | 4.3% | 10.4% | 23.2% | 1982 | $1,512 | 49.1% | 98.8% | 2.6% |
| Harwich | 1.94 | 56.9 | 4.5% | 26.2% | 27.6% | 1975 | $1,814 | 51.3% | 97.7% | 3.7% |
| Northwest Harwich | 2.34 | 55.7 | 9.4% | 8.0% | 28.0% | 1980 | $2,926 | 47.1% | 97.7% | 7.4% |
| East Dennis | 2.03 | 65.6 | 6.2% | 15.1% | 39.6% | 1975 | $875 | 55.8% | 99.1% | 3.6% |
| South Orleans | 2.03 | 62.6 | 5.6% | 10.3% | 45.8% | 1980 | $1,857 | 57.8% | 99.3% | 4.0% |
| Orleans | 2.07 | 63.5 | 7.4% | 19.6% | 45.8% | 1978 | $1,401 | 59.3% | 99.0% | 2.8% |
| South Chatham | 1.89 | 62.1 | 5.7% | 13.3% | 52.5% | 1963 | $1,577 | 64.9% | 98.8% | 5.9% |
| Harwich Port | 2.07 | 58.2 | 6.9% | 21.1% | 53.1% | 1958 | $1,753 | 61.2% | 98.7% | 9.6% |
| South Dennis | 2.02 | 57.0 | 8.3% | 18.6% | 41.5% | 1973 | $1,773 | 41.9% | 97.2% | 2.1% |
| West Chatham | 2.03 | 62.5 | 8.2% | 10.3% | 66.3% | 1971 | $1,711 | 72.7% | 99.3% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Harrington, DE · Port Salerno, FL · Hilliard, FL · Highland Park, TX · Portland, MI · Uncasville, CT · Henrietta, NY · Prairie View, TX · Waterloo, NY · Tyrone, GA
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 Brewster. 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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