Population 7,371 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Newton Highlands
Household size in Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.52 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Newton Highlands run a little small, averaging 2.55 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
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 Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.5 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.9 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Newton Highlands skews older than the country: its median age is 43.9, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.9, mirroring the country.
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 Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.9% of households in Newton Highlands, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 4.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 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 Newton Highlands
Renters in Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.2% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Newton Highlands own their homes; 29.2% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. More than four in ten owners (44.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.1 points, 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 Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Newton Highlands: just 5.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. The picture is much the same across the Boston area.
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 Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1951 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Newton Highlands is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1950, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the north. Only 18 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people 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 Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,354 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,440 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,954 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,340 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$986 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Newton Highlands pays $2,340 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $986 a month since 2006–10, up 73%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the south.
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 Newton Highlands
Bachelor's degrees in Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.2% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 80.4% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 81.8% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 85.3% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Newton Highlands is highly educated: nearly nine in ten adults 25 and older (85.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.1 points, mirroring the country. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only six have a higher 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 Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.6% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.3% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.7% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Newton Highlands: 97.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Newton Highlands has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
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 Newton Highlands
| Period | Newton Highlands | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.7% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Newton Highlands than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. 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).
Newton Highlands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Highlands | 2.55 | 43.9 | 3.9% | 29.2% | 5.3% | 1950 | $2,340 | 85.3% | 97.7% | 3.5% |
| Newton Upper Falls | 2.58 | 44.0 | 4.1% | 30.0% | 5.2% | 1947 | $2,278 | 76.6% | 96.2% | 4.3% |
| Newton Center | 2.70 | 46.1 | 3.1% | 16.0% | 5.1% | 1949 | $2,781 | 86.1% | 98.8% | 3.8% |
| Waban | 2.84 | 48.3 | 6.2% | 12.0% | 4.0% | 1947 | $2,364 | 89.3% | 97.7% | 4.8% |
| Chestnut Hill | 2.70 | 38.4 | 6.6% | 26.6% | 7.5% | 1951 | $2,737 | 85.4% | 96.4% | 3.0% |
| Newton | 2.55 | 40.8 | 7.8% | 38.3% | 6.7% | 1944 | $2,362 | 76.6% | 96.5% | 3.9% |
| Newtonville | 2.64 | 43.3 | 4.9% | 43.2% | 6.7% | 1943 | $2,603 | 80.4% | 98.3% | 3.5% |
| Newton Lower Falls | 2.50 | 42.7 | 2.7% | 27.4% | 9.9% | 1952 | $2,646 | 78.9% | 94.9% | 1.5% |
| Needham | 2.74 | 43.5 | 6.5% | 16.9% | 4.3% | 1968 | $2,423 | 81.9% | 97.8% | 4.1% |
| Auburndale | 2.56 | 37.2 | 5.9% | 36.8% | 9.7% | 1953 | $2,265 | 77.6% | 95.3% | 2.8% |
| Brighton | 2.00 | 31.4 | 6.1% | 76.3% | 6.9% | 1956 | $2,204 | 72.1% | 88.7% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Chuckey, TN · Colorado City, TX · Clintonville, WI · Clinton, IN · Clinton, IL · Claxton, GA · Clarion, PA · Citrus, CA · Churchville, NY · Tea, SD
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 Newton Highlands. 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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