Population 785,121 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Suffolk County
Household size in Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Suffolk County are small: just 2.36 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. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
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 Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.9 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.9 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Suffolk County is young: half of its residents are under 35.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.8, in line with the national trend. Suffolk County has the youngest population of any Massachusetts county.
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 Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Suffolk County (12.1%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Boston area overall (9.7%). The single-parent share has fallen 3.7 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 Suffolk County
Renters in Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.5% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 64.5% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.9% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 63.5% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Suffolk County: 63.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Just over a third of owners (34.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. No other Massachusetts county has a higher share of renters.
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 Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Suffolk County as nationally: 9.3%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Boston area as a whole (6.7%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.0 points, 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 Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Suffolk County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1957, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the south. Only one other Massachusetts county has 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 Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,184 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,276 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,618 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,151 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$967 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Suffolk County runs $2,151 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $967 a month from 2006–10, an 82% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 32.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one other Massachusetts county has higher rents.
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 Suffolk County
Bachelor's degrees in Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.9% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.9% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Suffolk County is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (50.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 11.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north 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 Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.0% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.9% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Suffolk County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 4.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Massachusetts counties have a lower share of high school graduates: only two of 14.
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 Suffolk County
| Period | Suffolk County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Suffolk County than nationally: unemployment was 6.7%, against 5.4%. Suffolk County has the highest unemployment rate of any Massachusetts county. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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).
Suffolk County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County | 2.36 | 35.9 | 12.1% | 63.5% | 9.3% | 1957 | $2,151 | 50.4% | 86.9% | 6.7% |
| Norfolk County | 2.59 | 41.9 | 7.9% | 31.3% | 5.0% | 1965 | $2,148 | 59.8% | 94.1% | 4.8% |
| Middlesex County | 2.56 | 40.3 | 8.3% | 38.7% | 5.9% | 1962 | $2,208 | 59.5% | 93.0% | 4.3% |
| Worcester County | 2.56 | 41.1 | 11.7% | 34.2% | 6.8% | 1965 | $1,549 | 39.8% | 90.9% | 5.3% |
| Hampshire County | 2.31 | 40.8 | 8.1% | 32.2% | 10.0% | 1967 | $1,516 | 52.5% | 95.9% | 5.4% |
| Berkshire County | 2.18 | 47.3 | 10.7% | 30.1% | 16.0% | 1956 | $1,361 | 39.5% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Columbia County | 2.25 | 49.0 | 11.1% | 23.7% | 19.4% | 1965 | $1,305 | 38.7% | 91.6% | 5.5% |
| Greene County | 2.43 | 48.0 | 6.9% | 22.8% | 28.7% | 1967 | $1,099 | 31.2% | 89.9% | 4.1% |
| Delaware County | 2.22 | 49.0 | 9.5% | 22.7% | 32.4% | 1968 | $916 | 28.3% | 88.8% | 6.0% |
| Chenango County | 2.31 | 45.8 | 10.8% | 24.6% | 18.2% | 1965 | $910 | 19.9% | 89.8% | 6.1% |
| Tompkins County | 2.11 | 36.3 | 8.1% | 45.9% | 9.9% | 1971 | $1,436 | 61.0% | 95.4% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Macomb County, MI · Lee County, FL · Worcester County, MA · Ventura County, CA · Snohomish County, WA · San Mateo County, CA · San Francisco County, CA · New Haven County, CT · Baltimore County, MD · Lake County, IL
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 Suffolk County. 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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