Population 45,659 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Dorchester
Household size in South Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.96 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.70 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in South Dorchester average 2.70 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area overall, where it has 2.55 people. Household size has edged down from 2.75 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.8 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.4 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.7 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in South Dorchester are younger than 38.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median age is 40.8. The median age has climbed from 34.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of Boston's 20 neighborhoods are older.
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 Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.0% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in South Dorchester: 19.4% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Boston neighborhoods have a higher share of single-parent households: only two of 20.
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 Dorchester
Renters in South Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.9% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 60.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 58.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 56.8% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in South Dorchester rent: 56.8% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 30.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 4.2 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 South Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in South Dorchester than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 6.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. South Dorchester has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Boston neighborhoods.
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 Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1940 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1939 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1941 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1943 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
South Dorchester is a place of older homes: half were built before 1943, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the southeast. South Dorchester has the oldest homes of any Boston neighborhood.
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 Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,172 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,219 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,495 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,992 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$820 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Dorchester pays $1,992 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $820 a month from 2006–10, a 70% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Dorchester
Bachelor's degrees in South Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.5% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in South Dorchester (35.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Boston area (51.9%). The share with a degree is up 11.0 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 South Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.9% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.1% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.4% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.1% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in South Dorchester never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 4.2 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 South Dorchester
| Period | South Dorchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.3% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in South Dorchester runs well above the national rate: 8.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 6.5 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).
South Dorchester 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 Dorchester | 2.70 | 38.7 | 19.4% | 56.8% | 6.6% | 1943 | $1,992 | 35.4% | 82.1% | 8.8% |
| Fields Corner | 2.29 | 49.7 | 9.5% | 52.1% | 9.1% | 1944 | $2,302 | 37.5% | 78.6% | 5.9% |
| Dorchester Center | 3.07 | 33.7 | 27.4% | 60.0% | 5.4% | 1954 | $1,768 | 25.9% | 79.6% | 9.2% |
| Neponset | 2.51 | 37.7 | 12.3% | 44.2% | 6.6% | 1944 | $2,302 | 51.3% | 92.3% | 7.5% |
| Mount Bowdoin | 3.19 | 30.8 | 32.7% | 80.3% | 6.2% | 1952 | $1,418 | 21.4% | 77.0% | 11.5% |
| North Dorchester | 2.27 | 34.4 | 12.8% | 64.5% | 7.7% | 1957 | $2,052 | 48.4% | 86.3% | 6.6% |
| Roxbury | 2.36 | 34.2 | 16.5% | 74.9% | 9.5% | 1959 | $1,507 | 33.3% | 81.5% | 8.2% |
| East Milton | 2.81 | 40.4 | 10.2% | 14.9% | 3.2% | 1947 | $2,762 | 73.8% | 96.8% | 3.6% |
| Forest Hills | 2.26 | 40.7 | 4.4% | 57.6% | 5.0% | 1939 | $2,258 | 65.8% | 95.0% | 1.3% |
| Nubian Square | 2.21 | 36.7 | 17.3% | 78.3% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,427 | 28.8% | 79.1% | 11.2% |
| Milton Upper Mills | 3.10 | 41.8 | 16.1% | 29.0% | 5.4% | 1945 | $1,722 | 65.8% | 95.6% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Valley High-North Laguna, Sacramento, CA · Central Escondido, Escondido, CA · Charter Oak, Covina, CA · El Sereno, Los Angeles, CA · Encanto, Phoenix, AZ · Far Northwest, Fort Worth, TX · Fenway-Kenmore, Boston, MA · Financial District, Manhattan, NY · University Heights, Bronx, NY · Aliamanu, Honolulu, HI
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 Dorchester. 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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