Population 30,195 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Roslindale
Household size in Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Roslindale has 2.49 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.63, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated 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 Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.6 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Roslindale are younger than 40.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.6, in line with the national trend. Roslindale is younger than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
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 Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Roslindale than nationally: 10.2%, against 11.6%. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share has fallen 7.7 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 Roslindale
Renters in Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.8% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.8% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Roslindale than nationally: 41.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 21.3% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 6.3 points from 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 Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Roslindale than nationally: 5.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. Vacancy has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, 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 Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Roslindale is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1947, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1943 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have older homes.
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 Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,200 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,162 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,634 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,127 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$927 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Roslindale pays $2,127 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $927 a month since 2006–10, up 77%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Roslindale
Bachelor's degrees in Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.9% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.7% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Roslindale: 53.4% 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 17.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.0% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.4% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.6% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.5% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Roslindale is a bit above the national rate: 91.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.5 points, 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 Roslindale
| Period | Roslindale | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Roslindale is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Roslindale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roslindale | 2.49 | 40.5 | 10.2% | 41.8% | 5.8% | 1947 | $2,127 | 53.4% | 91.5% | 5.5% |
| West Roxbury | 2.32 | 43.9 | 8.8% | 33.7% | 9.6% | 1952 | $2,255 | 66.4% | 95.7% | 3.9% |
| Hyde Park | 2.82 | 39.0 | 19.8% | 45.5% | 4.5% | 1955 | $1,967 | 36.7% | 89.2% | 6.6% |
| Mattapan | 2.90 | 37.3 | 25.3% | 60.4% | 7.3% | 1952 | $1,645 | 21.8% | 85.7% | 11.5% |
| Jamaica Plain | 2.30 | 34.2 | 8.0% | 61.4% | 5.6% | 1955 | $2,359 | 68.4% | 90.6% | 4.4% |
| Chestnut Hill | 2.70 | 38.4 | 6.6% | 26.6% | 7.5% | 1951 | $2,737 | 85.4% | 96.4% | 3.0% |
| Milton | 3.02 | 39.8 | 10.1% | 15.1% | 4.0% | 1952 | $1,861 | 73.8% | 96.1% | 4.2% |
| Dedham | 2.34 | 45.6 | 8.3% | 27.0% | 4.3% | 1960 | $2,117 | 55.7% | 93.7% | 3.5% |
| Brookline | 2.20 | 36.1 | 4.6% | 56.8% | 4.7% | 1946 | $2,825 | 85.1% | 97.7% | 4.0% |
| Newton Center | 2.70 | 46.1 | 3.1% | 16.0% | 5.1% | 1949 | $2,781 | 86.1% | 98.8% | 3.8% |
| Brighton | 2.00 | 31.4 | 6.1% | 76.3% | 6.9% | 1956 | $2,204 | 72.1% | 88.7% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Arlington, TN · Arroyo Grande, CA · Asbury Park, NJ · Athens, OH · Aubrey, TX · Auburndale, FL · Ballston Spa, NY · Bartow, FL · Batavia, OH · Bella Vista, AR
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 Roslindale. 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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