Population 5,575 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Grafton
Household size in South Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in South Grafton run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.74, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the northwest.
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 Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.0 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.4 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.4 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 41.5, the median age in South Grafton is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 32.0 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the south.
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 Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in South Grafton: 8.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 2.2 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 South Grafton
Renters in South Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.6% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.9% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.0% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in South Grafton rent their homes (36.0%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 18.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the east. The renter share has fallen 3.3 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 Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in South Grafton: just 4.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 7.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in South Grafton was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the wider Worcester area, where the median home dates to 1965. The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the south.
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 Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $726 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $911 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,091 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,380 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$654 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Grafton pays $1,380 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $654 a month since 2006–10, up 90%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Grafton
Bachelor's degrees in South Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.2% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.3% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.4% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.2% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in South Grafton: 47.2% 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. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
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 Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.4% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in South Grafton: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 1.4 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Grafton
| Period | South Grafton | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in South Grafton runs below the national rate: 4.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.5 points, a smaller shift than 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 Grafton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Grafton | 2.54 | 41.5 | 8.0% | 36.0% | 4.2% | 1976 | $1,380 | 47.2% | 94.9% | 4.1% |
| Northbridge | 2.48 | 46.6 | 9.0% | 18.8% | 4.9% | 1980 | $1,235 | 39.7% | 91.9% | 6.9% |
| Grafton | 2.65 | 41.7 | 5.3% | 26.9% | 4.0% | 1988 | $1,571 | 62.2% | 96.1% | 2.3% |
| Upton | 2.77 | 45.6 | 14.9% | 14.0% | 2.4% | 1972 | $739 | 51.4% | 97.8% | 6.5% |
| Whitinsville | 2.47 | 41.8 | 14.7% | 34.9% | 7.3% | 1969 | $1,221 | 36.7% | 93.7% | 4.8% |
| Sutton | 2.78 | 44.7 | 8.3% | 10.4% | 7.6% | 1979 | $1,239 | 52.0% | 96.3% | 3.0% |
| North Grafton | 2.61 | 39.8 | 7.7% | 18.5% | 4.0% | 1973 | $1,556 | 55.9% | 95.7% | 5.5% |
| Millbury | 2.50 | 42.5 | 11.2% | 24.8% | 5.1% | 1967 | $1,801 | 36.5% | 96.0% | 2.3% |
| Linwood | 2.41 | 44.2 | 16.5% | 28.5% | 8.6% | 1964 | $1,235 | 32.1% | 86.6% | 7.3% |
| North Milford | 2.48 | 49.9 | 6.5% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1990 | $2,039 | 59.5% | 97.4% | 5.9% |
| Westborough | 2.71 | 40.0 | 6.5% | 37.9% | 6.0% | 1977 | $2,368 | 66.1% | 95.9% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dilworth, MN · Delta, UT · Delton, MI · DeMarest, NJ · Denmark, SC · Denmark, WI · Denton, NC · Diana, TX · Dickson City, PA · Dilley, TX
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 Grafton. 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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