Population 11,000 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Riverside
Household size in Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.81 | 2.02 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.96 | 2.08 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.01 | 2.14 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.01 | 2.07 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Riverside are small: just 2.01 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.81, even as the national average fell.
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 Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.7 | 33.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 27.9 | 32.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 27.9 | 32.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 27.0 | 32.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | −1.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 27.0, Riverside is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 27.7, even as the national median rose. Only one other Cambridge 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 Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 7.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.7% | 6.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 5.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 6.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.4% of households in Riverside, well below the national share of 11.6%. Still, single parents are more common here than in Cambridge as a whole (6.3%). The single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Riverside
Renters in Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.3% | 64.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 76.1% | 63.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.2% | 65.2% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 77.9% | 66.6% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Riverside: 77.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 32.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Cambridge neighborhoods have a higher share of renters: only two of 13.
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 Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 9.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 8.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 12.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.3% | 11.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.3% of the housing in Riverside, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1950 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1950 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1955 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1956 | 1959 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +9 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Riverside is a place of older homes: half were built before 1956, 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 west, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,347 | $1,429 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,703 | $1,610 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,038 | $2,241 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,788 | $2,761 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,441 | +$1,332 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Riverside runs $2,788 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,441 a month from 2006–10, a 107% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.0% of the typical renter's income, 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 north.
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 Riverside
Bachelor's degrees in Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.0% | 72.5% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 80.6% | 76.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 81.2% | 79.3% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 76.0% | 81.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +8.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Riverside is highly educated: about three-quarters of adults 25 and older (76.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in Cambridge as a whole (81.4%). The share with a degree is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of Cambridge's 13 neighborhoods, only two have a lower 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 Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.0% | 94.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 94.5% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.8% | 95.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.3% | 96.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +1.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Riverside: 97.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Cambridge as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, 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 Riverside
| Period | Riverside | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 5.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 5.8% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 3.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Riverside than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Locally, though, the rate is higher than in Cambridge overall (3.3%). Of Cambridge's 13 neighborhoods, only two have higher unemployment.
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).
Riverside 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | 2.01 | 27.0 | 8.4% | 77.9% | 16.3% | 1956 | $2,788 | 76.0% | 97.3% | 4.0% |
| Mid-Cambridge | 2.00 | 32.2 | 3.7% | 61.6% | 11.9% | 1942 | $2,727 | 86.8% | 97.3% | 2.8% |
| Cambridgeport | 2.01 | 32.9 | 8.4% | 64.5% | 7.1% | 1964 | $2,822 | 84.0% | 96.3% | 3.3% |
| Aggasiz-Harvard | 1.97 | 31.1 | 2.7% | 66.0% | 19.4% | 1945 | $2,773 | 85.6% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
| Area IV | 2.24 | 30.4 | 12.5% | 77.8% | 4.8% | 1962 | $2,366 | 71.0% | 92.0% | 4.2% |
| Wellington-Harrington | 2.28 | 31.1 | 10.9% | 73.9% | 4.5% | 1942 | $2,652 | 64.4% | 90.8% | 2.2% |
| Union Square | 2.07 | 32.4 | 2.9% | 72.0% | 6.7% | 1947 | $2,522 | 75.1% | 92.8% | 2.6% |
| MIT | 2.07 | 22.3 | 4.2% | 100.0% | 10.3% | 1977 | $2,752 | 97.0% | 99.8% | 3.8% |
| West Cambridge | 2.18 | 41.6 | 5.3% | 31.9% | 9.1% | 1938 | $2,931 | 88.0% | 98.5% | 5.5% |
| Neighborhood Nine | 2.20 | 33.8 | 6.2% | 63.7% | 7.3% | 1961 | $2,581 | 80.6% | 99.2% | 3.9% |
| Avon Hill | 2.04 | 32.8 | 2.5% | 54.0% | 7.5% | 1940 | $2,762 | 90.3% | 99.2% | 2.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Greater Gardendale, San Antonio, TX · Oak Park-Northwood, San Antonio, TX · Avenues West, Milwaukee, WI · Bay View, Norfolk, VA · Buckman, Portland, OR · College Point, Queens, NY · Contempo, Union City, CA · Drake, Des Moines, IA · Woodlawn, Pawtucket, RI · Windsor Park, Charlotte, NC
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 Riverside. 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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