Population 23,406 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Winchester
Household size in Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.87 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.82 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Winchester holds 2.82 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.73 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the center.
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 Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.1 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.2 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.4 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Winchester skews older than the country: its median age is 43.4, against 40.1 nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the center.
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 Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.6% of households in Winchester, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.3 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 Winchester
Renters in Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Winchester is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over a third of owners (34.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Winchester: just 3.0% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 3.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 25 have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1953 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Winchester is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1952, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Winchester has older homes than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
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 Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,465 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,641 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,870 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,573 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,108 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Winchester runs $2,573 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,108 a month from 2006–10, a 76% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest 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 Winchester
Bachelor's degrees in Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.3% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 70.8% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 77.3% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 79.9% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Winchester is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (79.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 9.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 20 have 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 Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.3% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.0% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.6% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.0% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Winchester: 97.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Winchester has a higher share of high school graduates than most 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 Winchester
| Period | Winchester | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Winchester runs below the national rate: 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.7 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Winchester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester | 2.82 | 43.4 | 6.6% | 18.3% | 3.0% | 1952 | $2,573 | 79.9% | 97.0% | 3.9% |
| Woburn | 2.58 | 39.8 | 7.7% | 44.5% | 5.6% | 1968 | $2,208 | 46.3% | 94.7% | 7.5% |
| Arlington | 2.41 | 42.6 | 5.2% | 38.4% | 5.6% | 1947 | $2,047 | 76.9% | 98.1% | 2.8% |
| Stoneham | 2.46 | 43.1 | 8.0% | 29.0% | 5.2% | 1963 | $2,014 | 56.8% | 95.6% | 2.0% |
| Medford | 2.42 | 38.0 | 7.9% | 45.4% | 7.1% | 1950 | $2,421 | 59.6% | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| Melrose | 2.44 | 44.6 | 6.4% | 32.8% | 4.0% | 1947 | $2,138 | 63.2% | 95.6% | 3.3% |
| Lexington | 2.76 | 47.5 | 7.1% | 19.4% | 3.3% | 1966 | $2,896 | 83.8% | 96.8% | 2.8% |
| Burlington | 2.62 | 45.9 | 5.7% | 25.7% | 4.5% | 1974 | $2,524 | 58.3% | 95.7% | 4.5% |
| Belmont | 2.61 | 44.3 | 7.1% | 34.7% | 5.9% | 1946 | $2,468 | 80.9% | 97.6% | 4.5% |
| Malden | 2.57 | 36.9 | 10.4% | 58.7% | 8.9% | 1955 | $2,246 | 46.0% | 85.9% | 4.7% |
| Somerville | 2.27 | 32.9 | 3.9% | 65.7% | 6.6% | 1945 | $2,529 | 70.5% | 93.3% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Absecon, NJ · Allston, MA · Alvarado, TX · American Canyon, CA · Bastrop, TX · Athens, TN · Antioch, IL · Palatka, FL · Mukilteo, WA · Olmsted Falls, OH
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 Winchester. 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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