Population 27,113 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in East Boston
Household size in East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in East Boston has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.76, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.2 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.1 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.3 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.9 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of East Boston is 37.9 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.2, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the north.
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 East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in East Boston (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the wider Boston area (9.7%). The single-parent share is down 6.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 East Boston
Renters in East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 70.8% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.4% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 67.1% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in East Boston: 67.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 27.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the center. The renter share is down 0.7 points from 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 East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in East Boston is close to the national rate: 8.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Boston area as a whole (6.7%).
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 East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1942 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
East Boston is a place of older homes: half were built before 1955, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1942 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,003 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,081 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,462 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,963 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$960 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in East Boston pays $1,963 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $960 a month from 2006–10, a 96% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are 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 East Boston
Bachelor's degrees in East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.6% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.9% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +21.7 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in East Boston than nationally: 39.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in the wider Boston area (51.9%). The share with a degree has risen 21.7 points since 2006–10, 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 East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 72.0% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.5% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.3% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in East Boston never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 8.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 East Boston
| Period | East Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in East Boston: 6.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 4.1 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).
East Boston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Boston | 2.56 | 37.9 | 11.3% | 67.1% | 8.4% | 1955 | $1,963 | 39.9% | 79.3% | 6.4% |
| Day Square | 2.81 | 35.5 | 18.8% | 73.7% | 9.0% | 1944 | $2,136 | 34.1% | 71.6% | 7.7% |
| 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: Westgate, Henderson, NV · South Beach, Staten Island, NY · Sommerset West-Elmonica North, Bethany, OR · Powellhurst-Gilbert, Portland, OR · Parkside, San Francisco, CA · North Laurel, Scaggsville, MD · Landmark-Van Dom, Alexandria, VA · Kyle Canyon, Las Vegas, NV · Highline, Seattle, WA · Highland Hills, San Antonio, 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 East Boston. 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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