Population 26,361 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Dorchester
Household size in North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.75 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.28 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
North Dorchester is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.56 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.4 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.4, North Dorchester is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 32.5 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest.
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 North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in North Dorchester (12.8%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 7.1 points since 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 North Dorchester
Renters in North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 67.8% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.4% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 64.5% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in North Dorchester: 64.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than a third of owners (36.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 4.3 points since 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 North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in North Dorchester: 7.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. Vacancy is down 5.3 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
North Dorchester is a place of older homes: half were built before 1957, 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 1945 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, 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 North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,150 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,243 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,529 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,052 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$903 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in North Dorchester costs $2,052 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $903 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.0% 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 southeast.
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 North Dorchester
Bachelor's degrees in North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.9% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.4 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
North Dorchester is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (48.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the Boston area as a whole (51.9%). The share with a degree has risen 16.4 points since 2006–10, 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 North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.4% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.5% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.3% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in seven adults in North Dorchester never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 7.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 North Dorchester
| Period | North Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in North Dorchester than nationally: unemployment was 6.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.7 points from 2006–10, as it has 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).
North Dorchester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dorchester | 2.27 | 34.4 | 12.8% | 64.5% | 7.7% | 1957 | $2,052 | 48.4% | 86.3% | 6.6% |
| Fields Corner | 2.29 | 49.7 | 9.5% | 52.1% | 9.1% | 1944 | $2,302 | 37.5% | 78.6% | 5.9% |
| Mount Bowdoin | 3.19 | 30.8 | 32.7% | 80.3% | 6.2% | 1952 | $1,418 | 21.4% | 77.0% | 11.5% |
| Nubian Square | 2.21 | 36.7 | 17.3% | 78.3% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,427 | 28.8% | 79.1% | 11.2% |
| Dorchester Heights | 2.05 | 32.5 | 5.4% | 49.4% | 8.6% | 1960 | $3,107 | 76.2% | 97.4% | 2.5% |
| South Boston | 1.84 | 35.7 | 7.8% | 68.8% | 11.3% | 1981 | $2,797 | 71.3% | 95.8% | 5.5% |
| Roxbury | 2.36 | 34.2 | 16.5% | 74.9% | 9.5% | 1959 | $1,507 | 33.3% | 81.5% | 8.2% |
| South Dorchester | 2.70 | 38.7 | 19.4% | 56.8% | 6.6% | 1943 | $1,992 | 35.4% | 82.1% | 8.8% |
| South End | 1.89 | 37.8 | 6.3% | 64.7% | 10.3% | 1959 | $2,363 | 68.9% | 90.9% | 6.1% |
| Neponset | 2.51 | 37.7 | 12.3% | 44.2% | 6.6% | 1944 | $2,302 | 51.3% | 92.3% | 7.5% |
| Dorchester Center | 3.07 | 33.7 | 27.4% | 60.0% | 5.4% | 1954 | $1,768 | 25.9% | 79.6% | 9.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Belmont, Bronx, NY · Bridgeport, Chicago, IL · Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, NY · Cal Young, Eugene, OR · Catholic University-Brookland, Washington, DC · City Center East, Philadelphia, PA · Clearview, Queens, NY · Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY · Constable Hook, Bayonne, NJ · East Boston, Boston, MA
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 North Dorchester. 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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