Population 9,347 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Day Square
Household size in Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.03 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.35 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.22 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.81 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.22 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Day Square average 2.81 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.03, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Boston neighborhoods have larger households: only two of 20.
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 Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.5 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.5, Day Square 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 32.8 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the west, the 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 Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.7% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 22.5% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Day Square: 18.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 3.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Day Square has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Boston neighborhoods.
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 Day Square
Renters in Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.3% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 75.7% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 77.3% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 73.7% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Day Square rent: 73.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over three in ten owners (31.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Day Square is close to the national rate: 9.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Boston area overall (6.7%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.9 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 Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1939 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1939 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1944 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Day Square is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1944, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1939 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing. Of Boston's 20 neighborhoods, only two 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 Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,095 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,165 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,594 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,136 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,041 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Day Square pays $2,136 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,041 a month from 2006–10, a 95% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.1% 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 Day Square
Bachelor's degrees in Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +22.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Day Square (34.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Boston area as a whole (51.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 22.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.2% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 60.9% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 65.5% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 71.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults in Day Square never finished high school, well above the national share: only 71.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 9.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. No other Boston neighborhood has a lower 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 Day Square
| Period | Day Square | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Day Square runs well above the national rate: 7.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, 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).
Day 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Square | 2.81 | 35.5 | 18.8% | 73.7% | 9.0% | 1944 | $2,136 | 34.1% | 71.6% | 7.7% |
| East Boston | 2.56 | 37.9 | 11.3% | 67.1% | 8.4% | 1955 | $1,963 | 39.9% | 79.3% | 6.4% |
| Gove Street | 2.23 | 33.3 | 9.9% | 78.5% | 6.7% | 1963 | $2,133 | 44.0% | 77.6% | 5.2% |
| Waterfront | 2.02 | 48.7 | 8.0% | 43.6% | 8.2% | 1961 | $2,403 | 57.1% | 88.6% | 4.9% |
| Dock Square | 1.65 | 32.0 | 3.4% | 80.2% | 16.7% | 1966 | $3,000 | 82.9% | 97.7% | 2.8% |
| Prattville | 3.31 | 31.0 | 23.3% | 54.8% | 4.7% | 1945 | $1,624 | 23.3% | 74.9% | 8.1% |
| Downtown Crossing | 1.68 | 37.9 | 3.0% | 67.0% | 18.9% | 1954 | $2,722 | 77.3% | 92.4% | 2.6% |
| Central | 1.74 | 33.9 | 4.0% | 77.8% | 21.8% | 1989 | $2,662 | 66.8% | 88.8% | 7.4% |
| East Cambridge | 1.83 | 31.8 | 3.4% | 78.1% | 15.6% | 1984 | $3,165 | 82.0% | 96.5% | 3.3% |
| East Somerville | 2.43 | 36.4 | 12.0% | 67.7% | 4.4% | 1938 | $2,673 | 49.4% | 82.6% | 1.3% |
| South Boston | 1.84 | 35.7 | 7.8% | 68.8% | 11.3% | 1981 | $2,797 | 71.3% | 95.8% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Lakeside, San Antonio, TX · Bay Farm Island, Alameda, CA · Beaverdale, Des Moines, IA · Bethel Welborn, Kansas City, KS · Desert Hills, Las Vegas, NV · Zilker, Austin, TX · Sherman Heights, San Diego, CA · Roseville, San Diego, CA · Northeast Durham, Durham, NC · Mustang-Padre Island, Corpus Christi, TX
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 Day 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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