Population 64,385 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Allston-Brighton
Household size in Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.14 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.16 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.23 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.01 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Allston-Brighton is a place of small households, averaging 2.01 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.14 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the west and smallest 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 Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.0 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.6 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.9 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 29.8 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 29.8, Allston-Brighton is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 29.0, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the north.
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 Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Allston-Brighton: 5.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Allston-Brighton
Renters in Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.5% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 80.3% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 79.9% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 81.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Allston-Brighton: 81.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than four in ten owners (43.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.7 points, mirroring the country.
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 Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Allston-Brighton is close to the national rate: 9.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Boston area (6.7%).
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 Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Allston-Brighton is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1957, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1945 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the west 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 Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,391 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,521 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,800 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,282 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$890 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Allston-Brighton costs $2,282 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $890 a month from 2006–10, a 64% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 32.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the southwest.
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 Allston-Brighton
Bachelor's degrees in Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.9% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 64.2% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 71.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 74.2% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Allston-Brighton is highly educated: about three-quarters of adults 25 and older (74.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 9.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the north.
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 Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Allston-Brighton have finished high school (91.4%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same.
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 Allston-Brighton
| Period | Allston-Brighton | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Allston-Brighton than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Allston-Brighton compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allston-Brighton | 2.01 | 29.8 | 5.3% | 81.3% | 9.0% | 1957 | $2,282 | 74.2% | 91.4% | 4.6% |
| Washington Square | 2.28 | 36.6 | 4.0% | 52.3% | 4.1% | 1940 | $2,857 | 87.8% | 97.5% | 4.8% |
| Faneuil | 2.31 | 30.9 | 11.7% | 62.7% | 4.7% | 1947 | $2,637 | 65.6% | 89.5% | 3.9% |
| Coolidge Corner | 1.94 | 37.0 | 3.0% | 68.5% | 7.6% | 1954 | $2,853 | 87.2% | 97.2% | 3.2% |
| North Brookline | 2.24 | 32.4 | 5.1% | 60.6% | 5.7% | 1951 | $2,823 | 78.4% | 98.3% | 7.3% |
| Brookline Village Commercial District | 2.39 | 35.4 | 4.4% | 54.4% | 3.2% | 1945 | $2,858 | 85.6% | 97.4% | 2.9% |
| Brookline Village | 2.09 | 37.2 | 5.7% | 54.3% | 4.0% | 1950 | $2,688 | 82.6% | 98.3% | 2.9% |
| East Watertown | 2.21 | 39.4 | 4.5% | 55.9% | 3.6% | 1945 | $2,531 | 64.0% | 91.6% | 5.6% |
| Riverside | 2.01 | 27.0 | 8.4% | 77.9% | 16.3% | 1956 | $2,788 | 76.0% | 97.3% | 4.0% |
| Cambridgeport | 2.01 | 32.9 | 8.4% | 64.5% | 7.1% | 1964 | $2,822 | 84.0% | 96.3% | 3.3% |
| West Cambridge | 2.18 | 41.6 | 5.3% | 31.9% | 9.1% | 1938 | $2,931 | 88.0% | 98.5% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Northeast, Virginia Beach, VA · Far North Dallas-Keller, Keller, TX · Far Rockaway, Queens, NY · Far Northeast, Humble, TX · Millcreek, Salt Lake City, UT · Covina-Valley, Covina, CA · Ahwatukee, Phoenix, AZ · Greater Hilltop, Columbus, OH · Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL · West Torrance, Torrance, CA
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 Allston-Brighton. 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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