Population 6,739 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Grafton
Household size in North Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.65 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.61 people per household, North Grafton sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.65, 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 North Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.6 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.9 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.0 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.2 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in North Grafton is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 35.6 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in North Grafton: 7.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Grafton
Renters in North Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.2% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 18.5% of households in North Grafton rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About a quarter of owners (25.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share has edged down 1.0 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 Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in North Grafton: just 4.0% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. North Grafton has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
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 Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in North Grafton run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. Even so, homes here are newer than in the wider Worcester area, where the median home dates to 1965. The median year built has moved up from 1967 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $887 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,124 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,223 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,556 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$670 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in North Grafton pays $1,556 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $670 a month since 2006–10, up 76%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Grafton
Bachelor's degrees in North Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.0% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.5% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.3% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.9% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in North Grafton: 55.9% 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. The share with a degree is up 6.8 points from 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 Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.5% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.6% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in North Grafton: 95.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national rate rose.
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 Grafton
| Period | North Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in North Grafton is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.6 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 Grafton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Grafton | 2.61 | 39.8 | 7.7% | 18.5% | 4.0% | 1973 | $1,556 | 55.9% | 95.7% | 5.5% |
| Grafton | 2.65 | 41.7 | 5.3% | 26.9% | 4.0% | 1988 | $1,571 | 62.2% | 96.1% | 2.3% |
| Shrewsbury | 2.66 | 41.5 | 6.9% | 27.8% | 5.1% | 1978 | $2,217 | 65.1% | 95.7% | 2.1% |
| South Grafton | 2.54 | 41.5 | 8.0% | 36.0% | 4.2% | 1976 | $1,380 | 47.2% | 94.9% | 4.1% |
| Millbury | 2.50 | 42.5 | 11.2% | 24.8% | 5.1% | 1967 | $1,801 | 36.5% | 96.0% | 2.3% |
| Westborough | 2.71 | 40.0 | 6.5% | 37.9% | 6.0% | 1977 | $2,368 | 66.1% | 95.9% | 4.4% |
| Northbridge | 2.48 | 46.6 | 9.0% | 18.8% | 4.9% | 1980 | $1,235 | 39.7% | 91.9% | 6.9% |
| Upton | 2.77 | 45.6 | 14.9% | 14.0% | 2.4% | 1972 | $739 | 51.4% | 97.8% | 6.5% |
| Worcester area | 2.56 | 41.1 | 11.7% | 34.2% | 6.8% | 1965 | $1,549 | 39.8% | 90.9% | 5.3% |
| Sutton | 2.78 | 44.7 | 8.3% | 10.4% | 7.6% | 1979 | $1,239 | 52.0% | 96.3% | 3.0% |
| Northborough | 2.64 | 43.3 | 5.1% | 17.5% | 5.1% | 1980 | $2,056 | 65.3% | 98.0% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Valley View, TX · Boyne City, MI · Breckenridge, TX · Brewerton, NY · Bridge City, LA · Brier, WA · Tylertown, MS · University Park, IL · Upton, MA · Valley City, ND
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 Grafton. 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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