Population 29,447 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Saugus
Household size in Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.60 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Saugus average 2.60 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Households are largest in the south and smallest in the center.
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 Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Saugus skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 42.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.8% of households in Saugus, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 25 have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Saugus
Renters in Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.6% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Saugus rent their homes (28.2%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over a third of owners (35.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the east. The renter share has risen 5.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Saugus: 6.5% 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 is up 1.4 points from 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 Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Saugus is a place of older homes: half were built before 1964, 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 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,125 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,180 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,063 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,164 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,039 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Saugus runs $2,164 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,039 a month since 2006–10, up 92%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Saugus
Bachelor's degrees in Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.9% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.7% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Saugus than nationally: 30.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the northeast.
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 Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.4% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.4% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Saugus is a bit above the national rate: 90.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 1.5 points, even as 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 Saugus
| Period | Saugus | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Saugus runs below the national rate: 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.6 points from 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).
Saugus 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saugus | 2.60 | 45.1 | 4.8% | 28.2% | 6.5% | 1964 | $2,164 | 30.4% | 90.9% | 3.7% |
| Melrose | 2.44 | 44.6 | 6.4% | 32.8% | 4.0% | 1947 | $2,138 | 63.2% | 95.6% | 3.3% |
| Lynn | 2.93 | 37.3 | 19.1% | 52.4% | 4.8% | 1950 | $1,843 | 24.1% | 78.2% | 4.6% |
| Malden | 2.57 | 36.9 | 10.4% | 58.7% | 8.9% | 1955 | $2,246 | 46.0% | 85.9% | 4.7% |
| Revere | 2.77 | 39.8 | 13.1% | 54.6% | 9.2% | 1963 | $2,057 | 23.9% | 81.3% | 6.1% |
| Wakefield | 2.46 | 42.2 | 5.5% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 1956 | $2,117 | 59.7% | 96.2% | 4.3% |
| Everett | 2.95 | 36.8 | 16.4% | 62.8% | 9.1% | 1949 | $2,022 | 24.7% | 77.7% | 5.0% |
| Stoneham | 2.46 | 43.1 | 8.0% | 29.0% | 5.2% | 1963 | $2,014 | 56.8% | 95.6% | 2.0% |
| Lynnfield | 2.90 | 40.7 | 6.6% | 15.3% | 4.4% | 1968 | $2,516 | 62.2% | 98.4% | 3.2% |
| Chelsea | 3.11 | 34.8 | 19.9% | 74.0% | 5.3% | 1955 | $1,958 | 21.3% | 69.9% | 9.3% |
| Nahant | 2.12 | 58.7 | 3.6% | 21.1% | 12.0% | 1940 | $1,810 | 62.2% | 98.2% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Puerto Real, PR · Milton, MA · Mint Hill, NC · Monroeville, PA · Moscow, ID · Moultrie, GA · Oxford, OH · Pewaukee, WI · Plainview, NY · Pooler, GA
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 Saugus. 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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