Population 17,748 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rockland
Household size in Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.57 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Rockland run a little small, averaging 2.57 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. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the northeast.
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 Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.7 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.8 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Rockland skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 39.1 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and 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 Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Rockland (9.6%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.8 points, 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 Rockland
Renters in Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.1% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.0% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.5% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Rockland is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 27.2% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 3.7 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 Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Rockland: 6.0% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.2 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Rockland is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. The newest homes are mostly in the south, 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 Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $952 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,081 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,301 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,696 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$744 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rockland costs $1,696 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rents are up $744 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 41.0% 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 Rockland
Bachelor's degrees in Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.4% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.4% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.3% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Rockland than nationally: 32.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.4 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northwest.
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 Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.6% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.0% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.0% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Rockland: 96.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.4 points since 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 Rockland
| Period | Rockland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rockland runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, 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).
Rockland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockland | 2.57 | 41.8 | 9.6% | 23.5% | 6.0% | 1962 | $1,696 | 32.3% | 96.0% | 4.5% |
| Abington | 2.64 | 39.4 | 6.2% | 27.3% | 2.6% | 1968 | $1,963 | 40.3% | 95.3% | 5.5% |
| Hanover | 3.02 | 41.6 | 6.7% | 15.5% | 4.0% | 1978 | $1,811 | 57.0% | 95.1% | 6.4% |
| Whitman | 2.71 | 39.7 | 10.9% | 28.2% | 4.6% | 1961 | $1,670 | 31.0% | 93.6% | 5.0% |
| Hanson | 2.76 | 43.6 | 6.6% | 11.4% | 2.5% | 1971 | $2,002 | 43.0% | 92.6% | 3.8% |
| Norwell | 3.02 | 39.4 | 7.2% | 8.5% | 4.7% | 1969 | $1,830 | 69.5% | 97.9% | 1.9% |
| Holbrook | 2.62 | 42.6 | 10.0% | 16.0% | 0.7% | 1961 | $963 | 35.8% | 92.8% | 2.9% |
| South Hingham | 3.18 | 37.5 | 2.5% | 2.5% | 4.4% | 1979 | $2,211 | 72.8% | 98.9% | 1.8% |
| Weymouth Town | 2.32 | 44.0 | 6.5% | 32.7% | 4.7% | 1964 | $1,919 | 43.5% | 95.0% | 4.6% |
| Monponsett | 2.87 | 41.1 | 13.9% | 8.8% | 4.6% | 1964 | $2,200 | 39.0% | 92.6% | 6.0% |
| Standish | 3.17 | 44.2 | 9.4% | 7.5% | 11.6% | 1974 | $2,263 | 65.7% | 98.0% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Watkinsville, GA · Bellefontaine, OH · Bellwood, IL · Belton, SC · Benton Harbor, MI · Berea, OH · Berwick, PA · Bethpage, NY · Bluefield, WV · Bluffdale, UT
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 Rockland. 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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