Population 18,044 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Centralville
Household size in Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.79 | 2.64 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.87 | 2.73 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.88 | 2.74 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.93 | 2.73 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | +0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Centralville are large by national standards, averaging 2.93 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.79, 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 Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.6 | 34.0 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.4 | 34.8 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.0 | 35.1 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.2 | 35.4 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.2, Centralville is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 31.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the west.
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 Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.8% | 18.7% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 17.8% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 23.6% | 17.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 29.8% | 17.8% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Centralville: 29.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Centralville
Renters in Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0% | 50.2% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.7% | 55.6% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.5% | 57.7% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.9% | 56.8% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Centralville rent: 51.9% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in Lowell overall (56.8%). The renter share is up 7.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 10.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 8.6% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 7.2% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 5.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −4.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.8% of homes in Centralville are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Lowell as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has fallen 3.9 points since 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 Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1946 | 1949 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1942 | 1949 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1949 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1942 | 1953 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Centralville is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1942, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the west 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 Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $975 | $913 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,018 | $981 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,200 | $1,158 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,741 | $1,628 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$765 | +$715 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Centralville pays $1,741 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $765 a month since 2006–10, up 78%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the center.
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 Centralville
Bachelor's degrees in Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 22.2% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 21.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 23.6% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.4% | 29.2% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Centralville have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.4%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.7 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
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 Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.0% | 77.3% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.6% | 78.2% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.7% | 81.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.1% | 82.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +5.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Centralville never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Lowell as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.1 points, 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 Centralville
| Period | Centralville | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 8.6% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 11.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 6.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 5.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Centralville runs well above the national rate: 8.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.2 points, 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).
Centralville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centralville | 2.93 | 33.2 | 29.8% | 51.9% | 3.8% | 1942 | $1,741 | 20.4% | 83.1% | 8.4% |
| Downtown Lowell | 1.92 | 35.2 | 10.1% | 78.9% | 6.3% | 1946 | $1,544 | 47.1% | 86.7% | 5.1% |
| The Acre | 2.04 | 28.7 | 15.9% | 80.3% | 8.4% | 1952 | $1,215 | 31.6% | 80.7% | 4.7% |
| Belvidere | 2.65 | 38.8 | 14.6% | 41.2% | 3.0% | 1957 | $1,522 | 40.6% | 88.6% | 6.2% |
| Back Central | 2.57 | 40.9 | 14.4% | 71.8% | 7.5% | 1949 | $1,443 | 13.3% | 69.4% | 7.5% |
| Highlands | 2.95 | 36.2 | 16.1% | 58.8% | 5.1% | 1945 | $1,708 | 28.4% | 78.2% | 5.9% |
| South Lowell | 2.82 | 35.0 | 20.2% | 48.1% | 3.9% | 1966 | $1,758 | 25.0% | 85.5% | 4.3% |
| Pawtucketville | 2.93 | 36.3 | 14.6% | 45.0% | 6.0% | 1971 | $1,671 | 32.1% | 87.7% | 2.6% |
| Mt Vernon Park | 2.75 | 44.0 | 12.6% | 28.1% | 4.5% | 1961 | $1,615 | 22.4% | 77.7% | 1.2% |
| Frye Circle | 2.20 | 45.6 | 5.0% | 33.3% | 10.3% | 1951 | $1,948 | 67.9% | 94.6% | 4.4% |
| Southeast Nashua | 2.27 | 35.5 | 12.2% | 60.8% | 6.3% | 1969 | $1,830 | 42.5% | 94.6% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Sunnyside, Tucson, AZ · Ellsworth, Elmwood Park, IL · Fairfield, Cypress, TX · Frankford, Baltimore, MD · Franklin Park, Austin, TX · Gandy-Sun Bay South, Tampa, FL · Garfield Park, Grand Rapids, MI · Garnsey, Valley Village, CA · Georgetown, Washington, DC · Girard Estates, Philadelphia, PA
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 Centralville. 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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