Population 30,141 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wellesley
Household size in Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.83 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.89 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.81 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Wellesley average 2.81 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.73, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the east.
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 Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.4 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Wellesley are younger than 40.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.7, as it has nationally. Wellesley is younger than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
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 Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Wellesley: 5.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Wellesley has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
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 Wellesley
Renters in Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.5% of households in Wellesley rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over a third of owners (34.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the north. The renter share is down 4.6 points from 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 Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Wellesley: just 4.0% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Wellesley 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 Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1956 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Wellesley is a place of older homes: half were built before 1956, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1947 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
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 Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,428 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,693 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,297 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,000 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,571 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Wellesley runs $3,000 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,571 a month since 2006–10, up 110%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Only one other Massachusetts city with 5,000+ people 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 Wellesley
Bachelor's degrees in Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.4% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 83.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.0% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 89.0% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wellesley: 89.0% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.6 points, as it has nationally. Only one other Massachusetts city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.2% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.8% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −9.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Wellesley have finished high school as nationally: 87.8%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Boston area (91.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 9.7 points, even as the national rate rose.
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 Wellesley
| Period | Wellesley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wellesley 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 fallen 1.9 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Wellesley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellesley | 2.81 | 40.5 | 5.0% | 15.5% | 4.0% | 1956 | $3,000 | 89.0% | 87.8% | 4.1% |
| Newton Lower Falls | 2.50 | 42.7 | 2.7% | 27.4% | 9.9% | 1952 | $2,646 | 78.9% | 94.9% | 1.5% |
| Needham | 2.74 | 43.5 | 6.5% | 16.9% | 4.3% | 1968 | $2,423 | 81.9% | 97.8% | 4.1% |
| Waban | 2.84 | 48.3 | 6.2% | 12.0% | 4.0% | 1947 | $2,364 | 89.3% | 97.7% | 4.8% |
| Auburndale | 2.56 | 37.2 | 5.9% | 36.8% | 9.7% | 1953 | $2,265 | 77.6% | 95.3% | 2.8% |
| Newton Upper Falls | 2.58 | 44.0 | 4.1% | 30.0% | 5.2% | 1947 | $2,278 | 76.6% | 96.2% | 4.3% |
| Weston | 2.87 | 45.7 | 3.5% | 12.5% | 6.6% | 1967 | $2,023 | 84.4% | 98.4% | 2.2% |
| Natick | 2.44 | 43.5 | 5.8% | 32.1% | 4.9% | 1966 | $2,103 | 71.0% | 96.9% | 2.9% |
| Cochituate | 2.68 | 45.2 | 6.2% | 16.4% | 7.2% | 1958 | $2,118 | 75.6% | 95.6% | 3.0% |
| Newton Highlands | 2.55 | 43.9 | 3.9% | 29.2% | 5.3% | 1950 | $2,340 | 85.3% | 97.7% | 3.5% |
| Dover | 3.08 | 44.7 | 5.9% | 2.1% | 5.4% | 1972 | $3,065 | 84.9% | 97.2% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Geneva, IL · Walnut, CA · Wasco, CA · Rockville Centre, NY · Harvey, LA · Gulf Breeze, FL · Yabucoa, PR · Gloucester, MA · Glenside, PA · Glen Cove, NY
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 Wellesley. 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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