Population 5,539 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Waban
Household size in Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.69 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.84 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.15 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Waban holds 2.84 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.69, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the north.
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 Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.9 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.3 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.3 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.3, Waban is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 47.9, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the southwest.
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 Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 1.9% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Waban: 6.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.6 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Waban
Renters in Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Waban is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 38.1% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southwest.
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 Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 2.0% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.0% of homes in Waban are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Waban has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
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 Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Waban is a place of older homes: half were built before 1947, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east has the oldest housing. Only nine of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have 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 Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,197 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,699 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,980 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,364 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,167 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Waban costs $2,364 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,167 a month since 2006–10, up 97%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 25.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest 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 Waban
Bachelor's degrees in Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 82.5% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 88.8% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 89.3% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Waban: 89.3% 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 7.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Waban has the highest share of college graduates of any Massachusetts city with 5,000+ people.
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 Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.3% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.2% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.7% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Waban: 97.7% 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 down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Waban has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
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 Waban
| Period | Waban | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.3% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Waban is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Waban 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waban | 2.84 | 48.3 | 6.2% | 12.0% | 4.0% | 1947 | $2,364 | 89.3% | 97.7% | 4.8% |
| Newton Upper Falls | 2.58 | 44.0 | 4.1% | 30.0% | 5.2% | 1947 | $2,278 | 76.6% | 96.2% | 4.3% |
| Newton Highlands | 2.55 | 43.9 | 3.9% | 29.2% | 5.3% | 1950 | $2,340 | 85.3% | 97.7% | 3.5% |
| Newton Lower Falls | 2.50 | 42.7 | 2.7% | 27.4% | 9.9% | 1952 | $2,646 | 78.9% | 94.9% | 1.5% |
| Auburndale | 2.56 | 37.2 | 5.9% | 36.8% | 9.7% | 1953 | $2,265 | 77.6% | 95.3% | 2.8% |
| Newton Center | 2.70 | 46.1 | 3.1% | 16.0% | 5.1% | 1949 | $2,781 | 86.1% | 98.8% | 3.8% |
| Newton | 2.55 | 40.8 | 7.8% | 38.3% | 6.7% | 1944 | $2,362 | 76.6% | 96.5% | 3.9% |
| Newtonville | 2.64 | 43.3 | 4.9% | 43.2% | 6.7% | 1943 | $2,603 | 80.4% | 98.3% | 3.5% |
| Needham | 2.74 | 43.5 | 6.5% | 16.9% | 4.3% | 1968 | $2,423 | 81.9% | 97.8% | 4.1% |
| Wellesley | 2.81 | 40.5 | 5.0% | 15.5% | 4.0% | 1956 | $3,000 | 89.0% | 87.8% | 4.1% |
| Chestnut Hill | 2.70 | 38.4 | 6.6% | 26.6% | 7.5% | 1951 | $2,737 | 85.4% | 96.4% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Satsuma, FL · Harvard, MA · Hendron, KY · Hillsboro, IL · Hokes Bluff, AL · Holden, MO · Holly Hill, SC · Holt, AL · Holton, KS · Lanexa, VA
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 Waban. 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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