Population 20,017 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Boston
Household size in South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.03 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.15 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.04 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.84 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in South Boston are small: just 1.84 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 dropped from 2.03, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.4 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.7 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.7, South Boston is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.6, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
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 South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.8% of households in South Boston, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.7 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 South Boston
Renters in South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.2% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 68.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 68.8% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in South Boston: 68.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 31.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the east. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.4 points, 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 South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in South Boston: 11.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 3.6 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 South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +23 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in South Boston was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast. Only one other Boston neighborhood has newer 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 South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,235 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,424 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,045 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,797 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,562 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in South Boston runs $2,797 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,562 a month since 2006–10, up 126%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the south.
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 South Boston
Bachelor's degrees in South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 54.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 71.3% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +22.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in South Boston: 71.3% 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 22.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.7% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.8% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in South Boston: 95.8% 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 11.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. South Boston has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Boston neighborhoods.
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 South Boston
| Period | South Boston | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in South Boston is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.3 points from 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).
South Boston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Boston | 1.84 | 35.7 | 7.8% | 68.8% | 11.3% | 1981 | $2,797 | 71.3% | 95.8% | 5.5% |
| Dorchester Heights | 2.05 | 32.5 | 5.4% | 49.4% | 8.6% | 1960 | $3,107 | 76.2% | 97.4% | 2.5% |
| South End | 1.89 | 37.8 | 6.3% | 64.7% | 10.3% | 1959 | $2,363 | 68.9% | 90.9% | 6.1% |
| Central | 1.74 | 33.9 | 4.0% | 77.8% | 21.8% | 1989 | $2,662 | 66.8% | 88.8% | 7.4% |
| North Dorchester | 2.27 | 34.4 | 12.8% | 64.5% | 7.7% | 1957 | $2,052 | 48.4% | 86.3% | 6.6% |
| Downtown Crossing | 1.68 | 37.9 | 3.0% | 67.0% | 18.9% | 1954 | $2,722 | 77.3% | 92.4% | 2.6% |
| Back Bay | 1.57 | 37.8 | 3.4% | 67.6% | 19.3% | 1950 | $2,565 | 84.2% | 96.6% | 4.1% |
| Nubian Square | 2.21 | 36.7 | 17.3% | 78.3% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,427 | 28.8% | 79.1% | 11.2% |
| Dock Square | 1.65 | 32.0 | 3.4% | 80.2% | 16.7% | 1966 | $3,000 | 82.9% | 97.7% | 2.8% |
| Gove Street | 2.23 | 33.3 | 9.9% | 78.5% | 6.7% | 1963 | $2,133 | 44.0% | 77.6% | 5.2% |
| Roxbury | 2.36 | 34.2 | 16.5% | 74.9% | 9.5% | 1959 | $1,507 | 33.3% | 81.5% | 8.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Westside, Santa Cruz, CA · Cully, Portland, OR · Deep Creek North, Chesapeake, VA · Drnag, San Bernardino, CA · Eads-Fisherville, Cordova, TN · East Arlington, Jacksonville, FL · East Central, Pasadena, CA · Wicker Park, Chicago, IL · Whiskey Point, Chicago, IL · Au-Tenleytown, Washington, DC
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 South Boston. 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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