Population 535,075 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Plymouth County
Household size in Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.74 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.74 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.66 people per household, Plymouth County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area as a whole, where it has 2.55 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.70, mirroring the country. Only two of Massachusetts' 14 counties 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 Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.3 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.5 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Plymouth County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.6, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Plymouth County (10.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Boston area overall (9.7%). The single-parent share has edged down 0.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Plymouth County
Renters in Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.5% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Plymouth County is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About three in ten owners (30.1%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Few Massachusetts counties have a lower share of renters: only two of 14.
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 Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Plymouth County: 7.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Vacancy has fallen 1.9 points since 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 Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Plymouth County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Even so, homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, 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 Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,156 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,166 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,367 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,823 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$668 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Plymouth County costs $1,823 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Boston area overall ($2,051). Rents are up $668 a month from 2006–10, a 58% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.2% 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 Plymouth County
Bachelor's degrees in Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.4% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Plymouth County than nationally: 41.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the Boston area overall (51.9%). The share with a degree has risen 8.9 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 Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.8% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Plymouth County have finished high school (92.7%), above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.0 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Plymouth County
| Period | Plymouth County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Plymouth County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Plymouth County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth County | 2.66 | 43.5 | 10.7% | 22.4% | 7.9% | 1970 | $1,823 | 41.4% | 92.7% | 5.1% |
| Hampden County | 2.51 | 40.7 | 15.3% | 37.8% | 7.7% | 1958 | $1,261 | 29.0% | 86.7% | 6.3% |
| Broome County | 2.36 | 41.0 | 12.4% | 35.5% | 13.0% | 1960 | $1,042 | 31.7% | 90.7% | 6.9% |
| Tioga County | 2.36 | 44.4 | 12.6% | 20.9% | 8.1% | 1966 | $1,014 | 25.0% | 91.1% | 5.5% |
| Chemung County | 2.27 | 42.8 | 12.2% | 31.6% | 10.9% | 1957 | $1,117 | 27.5% | 90.8% | 5.9% |
| Erie County | 2.37 | 41.5 | 12.7% | 31.9% | 9.7% | 1965 | $991 | 30.4% | 92.7% | 5.5% |
| Monroe County | 2.51 | 43.6 | 10.3% | 18.3% | 6.7% | 1975 | $1,076 | 23.5% | 91.8% | 5.1% |
| Lenawee County | 2.45 | 42.9 | 11.1% | 20.4% | 10.3% | 1966 | $1,014 | 22.8% | 91.3% | 4.6% |
| Hillsdale County | 2.48 | 43.9 | 10.1% | 18.0% | 16.0% | 1967 | $884 | 21.3% | 90.9% | 4.5% |
| Branch County | 2.66 | 41.3 | 11.0% | 22.3% | 16.2% | 1965 | $971 | 16.8% | 88.0% | 5.7% |
| Berrien County | 2.41 | 43.3 | 12.2% | 27.2% | 13.1% | 1967 | $1,052 | 30.8% | 92.3% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Anne Arundel County, MD · Baltimore City, MD · Brevard County, FL · Bristol County, MA · Tulare County, CA · Montgomery County, TX · New Castle County, DE · Pasco County, FL · Ramsey County, MN · Sedgwick County, KS
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 Plymouth County. 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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