Population 13,664 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mount Bowdoin
Household size in Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.91 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.98 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.96 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.19 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.28 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Mount Bowdoin is a place of big households: 3.19 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 2.91 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Mount Bowdoin has the largest households of any Boston neighborhood.
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 Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.5 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.1 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.8 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.8, Mount Bowdoin is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 29.5, in line with the national trend. Only one other Boston neighborhood is 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 Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 29.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 32.7% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Mount Bowdoin: 32.7% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 6.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Boston neighborhood has 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 Mount Bowdoin
Renters in Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 76.2% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 75.5% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 80.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Mount Bowdoin rent: 80.3% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 9.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Boston neighborhood has 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 Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Mount Bowdoin than nationally: 6.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 8.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Boston neighborhood has a lower vacancy rate.
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 Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1940 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Mount Bowdoin 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 1942 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $978 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $982 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,129 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,418 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$440 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Mount Bowdoin runs $1,418 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $440 a month from 2006–10, a 45% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. No other Boston neighborhood has lower rents.
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 Mount Bowdoin
Bachelor's degrees in Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Mount Bowdoin have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 21.4%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.0 points, in line with the national trend. Mount Bowdoin has the lowest share of college graduates of any Boston neighborhood.
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 Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.6% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 73.0% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.6% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 77.0% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
23.0% of adults in Mount Bowdoin never finished high school, well above the national share: only 77.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 2.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one 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 Mount Bowdoin
| Period | Mount Bowdoin | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.6% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −12.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Mount Bowdoin: 11.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. No other Boston neighborhood has higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 12.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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).
Mount Bowdoin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Bowdoin | 3.19 | 30.8 | 32.7% | 80.3% | 6.2% | 1952 | $1,418 | 21.4% | 77.0% | 11.5% |
| Dorchester Center | 3.07 | 33.7 | 27.4% | 60.0% | 5.4% | 1954 | $1,768 | 25.9% | 79.6% | 9.2% |
| South Dorchester | 2.70 | 38.7 | 19.4% | 56.8% | 6.6% | 1943 | $1,992 | 35.4% | 82.1% | 8.8% |
| Fields Corner | 2.29 | 49.7 | 9.5% | 52.1% | 9.1% | 1944 | $2,302 | 37.5% | 78.6% | 5.9% |
| Roxbury | 2.36 | 34.2 | 16.5% | 74.9% | 9.5% | 1959 | $1,507 | 33.3% | 81.5% | 8.2% |
| North Dorchester | 2.27 | 34.4 | 12.8% | 64.5% | 7.7% | 1957 | $2,052 | 48.4% | 86.3% | 6.6% |
| Nubian Square | 2.21 | 36.7 | 17.3% | 78.3% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,427 | 28.8% | 79.1% | 11.2% |
| Forest Hills | 2.26 | 40.7 | 4.4% | 57.6% | 5.0% | 1939 | $2,258 | 65.8% | 95.0% | 1.3% |
| Neponset | 2.51 | 37.7 | 12.3% | 44.2% | 6.6% | 1944 | $2,302 | 51.3% | 92.3% | 7.5% |
| South End | 1.89 | 37.8 | 6.3% | 64.7% | 10.3% | 1959 | $2,363 | 68.9% | 90.9% | 6.1% |
| Dorchester Heights | 2.05 | 32.5 | 5.4% | 49.4% | 8.6% | 1960 | $3,107 | 76.2% | 97.4% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Martha Lake, Lynnwood, WA · Vista East, Orlando, FL · Iron Triangle, Richmond, CA · Villages of Westcreek, San Antonio, TX · Lake Nona, Orlando, FL · Valley Station, Louisville, KY · Lee-Miles, Cleveland, OH · Love Field Area, Dallas, TX · Mandell, Chicago, IL · Aberdeen, Hampton, VA
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 Mount Bowdoin. 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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