Population 40,315 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mattapan
Household size in Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.00 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.95 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.01 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.90 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Mattapan holds 2.90 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 3.00 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 27 have larger 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 Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.3 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.5 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.3 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Mattapan is 37.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.3, in line with the national trend. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 18 are younger.
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 Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 29.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about a quarter of households in Mattapan (25.3%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 5.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only two of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a higher 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 Mattapan
Renters in Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.2% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 65.6% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.4% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 60.4% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Mattapan: 60.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 23.8% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only ten have a higher share of renters.
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 Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Mattapan than nationally: 7.3%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.9 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Mattapan is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1952, 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 1947 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Mattapan has older homes than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
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 Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,147 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,176 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,531 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,645 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$498 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Mattapan runs $1,645 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rents are up $498 a month from 2006–10, a 43% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 36.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Mattapan
Bachelor's degrees in Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.0% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.8% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Mattapan have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 21.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only nine have a lower share of college graduates.
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 Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.1% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.2% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.3% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Mattapan never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 13 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have 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 Mattapan
| Period | Mattapan | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Mattapan: 11.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other Massachusetts city with 5,000+ people has higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 3.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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).
Mattapan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattapan | 2.90 | 37.3 | 25.3% | 60.4% | 7.3% | 1952 | $1,645 | 21.8% | 85.7% | 11.5% |
| Milton | 3.02 | 39.8 | 10.1% | 15.1% | 4.0% | 1952 | $1,861 | 73.8% | 96.1% | 4.2% |
| Roslindale | 2.49 | 40.5 | 10.2% | 41.8% | 5.8% | 1947 | $2,127 | 53.4% | 91.5% | 5.5% |
| Hyde Park | 2.82 | 39.0 | 19.8% | 45.5% | 4.5% | 1955 | $1,967 | 36.7% | 89.2% | 6.6% |
| Jamaica Plain | 2.30 | 34.2 | 8.0% | 61.4% | 5.6% | 1955 | $2,359 | 68.4% | 90.6% | 4.4% |
| West Roxbury | 2.32 | 43.9 | 8.8% | 33.7% | 9.6% | 1952 | $2,255 | 66.4% | 95.7% | 3.9% |
| Boston area | 2.55 | 40.8 | 9.7% | 38.4% | 6.7% | 1964 | $2,051 | 51.9% | 91.8% | 4.9% |
| Quincy | 2.29 | 40.5 | 6.5% | 54.7% | 6.5% | 1959 | $2,167 | 50.1% | 90.5% | 6.9% |
| Brookline | 2.20 | 36.1 | 4.6% | 56.8% | 4.7% | 1946 | $2,825 | 85.1% | 97.7% | 4.0% |
| Dedham | 2.34 | 45.6 | 8.3% | 27.0% | 4.3% | 1960 | $2,117 | 55.7% | 93.7% | 3.5% |
| Chestnut Hill | 2.70 | 38.4 | 6.6% | 26.6% | 7.5% | 1951 | $2,737 | 85.4% | 96.4% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Seneca, SC · Glendale Heights, IL · Granite City, IL · Greeneville, TN · Greenfield, IN · Harker Heights, TX · Havertown, PA · Huntington, NY · Huntington Station, NY · Inman, SC
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 Mattapan. 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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