Population 15,129 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Holliston
Household size in Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.79 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.70 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.70 people per household, Holliston sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area overall, where it has 2.55 people. Household size has edged down from 2.75 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.7 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.5 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.5, Holliston is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 44.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the south.
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 Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Holliston: 3.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only two 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 Holliston
Renters in Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.0% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Holliston is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 40.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 2.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 1.9% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Holliston: just 5.4% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.5 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 Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Holliston is a place of older homes: half were built before 1970, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Even so, homes here are newer than in the wider Boston area, where the median home dates to 1964. 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 Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,002 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,076 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $937 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,631 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$629 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Holliston pays $1,631 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rent has climbed $629 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 28.1% of the typical renter's income, just under 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 Holliston
Bachelor's degrees in Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 59.6% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 60.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.1% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 66.1% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Holliston: 66.1% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.5 points, 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 Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.1% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.7% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Holliston: 96.7% 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 0.8 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Holliston
| Period | Holliston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Holliston than nationally: unemployment was 4.3%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Holliston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holliston | 2.70 | 45.5 | 3.1% | 12.5% | 5.4% | 1970 | $1,631 | 66.1% | 96.7% | 4.3% |
| Medway | 2.82 | 42.0 | 5.2% | 14.0% | 1.2% | 1975 | $1,573 | 62.8% | 96.0% | 3.8% |
| Ashland | 2.47 | 41.7 | 4.9% | 24.5% | 6.4% | 1983 | $2,192 | 60.6% | 97.6% | 5.7% |
| Sherborn | 2.91 | 43.0 | 1.8% | 10.5% | 6.2% | 1969 | $2,474 | 82.3% | 99.6% | 4.6% |
| Harding | 2.54 | 57.0 | 1.2% | 7.4% | 11.0% | 1981 | $1,349 | 52.7% | 88.8% | 2.4% |
| Millis | 2.69 | 45.5 | 5.5% | 16.9% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,589 | 55.9% | 96.0% | 4.5% |
| Hopkinton | 2.89 | 40.9 | 6.6% | 13.2% | 6.2% | 1992 | $2,886 | 79.3% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
| Milford | 2.74 | 40.4 | 11.4% | 35.1% | 5.9% | 1965 | $2,030 | 34.1% | 87.1% | 5.0% |
| North Milford | 2.48 | 49.9 | 6.5% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1990 | $2,039 | 59.5% | 97.4% | 5.9% |
| Southville | 2.74 | 41.4 | 4.4% | 20.7% | 1.2% | 1986 | $1,349 | 73.5% | 99.6% | 3.9% |
| Framingham | 2.65 | 39.1 | 12.4% | 45.2% | 5.6% | 1966 | $2,011 | 47.5% | 86.2% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Heath, OH · Kemp Mill, MD · Indialantic, FL · Huntingdon, PA · Huffman, TX · Hubbard, OH · Hopatcong, NJ · Hillcrest Heights, MD · High Ridge, MO · Hickory Hills, IL
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 Holliston. 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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