Boston, MA City Data

Boston, MA is a city with great restaurants, attractions, history and people. There are around 589,141 people who live in Boston and approximately 689,807 who live in Suffolk County. We want to help people moving to or living in Boston to understand the dynamics of the city, so we have put together information gathered from various creditable sources to give you a better understanding of Boston. We have included Boston housing information, demographics, social and education characteristics, and even economic information.

General Boston Information

Suffolk County where Boston resides is 120.19 square miles. The resident population of this county is 689,807 and has a population rank of 74 out of all the places in the United States.

Boston has a total of 589,141 people and of those residents there are 283,588 males and 305,553 females. The median age of the male population is 30.4 and the female population is 31.8. There are approximately 9,561 births each year and around 5,484 deaths. The race breakdown of the population in Boston varies per year, but currently 563,263 are one race and 25,878 are two or more races.

Of the 589,141 people who live in Boston, there are 141,951 under 20 years old. The sex breakdown of the 20 years old and younger population in Boston is 71,526 male and 70,425 female. If you have children or you are under the age of 20, then you will be considered in that statistic. For those of you who are older, then you will be part of the population that is 18 years and older and totals 472,582.

General Boston Information
Total area in square miles - Suffolk County	120.19
Water area in square miles - Suffolk County	N/A
Resident population - Suffolk County	689,807
Population rank - Suffolk County	74
Total population	589,141
Total population (male)	283,588
Total population (female)	305,553
Population median age (male)	30.4
Population median age (female)	31.8
Births - Suffolk County	9,561
Deaths- Suffolk County	5,484
Population of one race	563,263
Population of two or more races	25,878
Population under 20 years	141,951
Population under 20 years (male)	71,526
Population under 20 years (female)	70,425
Total population 18 years and over	472,582

Boston Social Characteristics

There are 278,722 households in Boston. Families make up 140,802 of these households. The table below breaks down the Boston families into three different groups. Married-couple families (81,651), male householder with no wife present (11,877) and female householder with no husband present (44,840). The remainder of the Boston households are made up of nonfamily households, which total 139,563. Boston, MA moving companies help people in Boston move locally and all around the world.

For years, the US has been building stats on the relationship of males and females 15 years and older in cities around the country including Boston. This information helps individuals analyze the area they are living in or moving to. For the county where Boston is based, there are 299,644 females 15 and over; of those females there are 135,859 never married, 99,058 now married, 10,820 separated, 28,585 widowed, and 25,322 divorced. As for the males, there are N/A males 15 and older: N/A never married, N/A now married, 6,561 separated, 6,623 widowed and 17,195 never married. There is a lot of great information below regarding Boston social characteristics. Be sure to review the tables for more information on Boston.

If you are moving to or from Boston and need a place to store your things be sure to check out the MovingIdeas.org Boston, MA self storage quote page or storage guides.

HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE (Suffolk County)
Total households	278,722
Family households (families)	140,802
With own children under 18 years	73,099
Married-couple family	81,651
With own children under 18 years	37,082
Male householder, no wife present, family	11,877
With own children under 18 years	4,116
Female householder, no husband present, family	44,840
With own children under 18 years	26,081
Nonfamily households	139,563
Householder living alone	101,173
65 years and over	26,426

GENERAL HOUSEHOLDS
Households with one or more people under 18 years	61,428
Households with one or more people 65 years and over	45,350
Average household size	2.31
Average family size	3.17

RELATIONSHIP FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS
Population in family households	378,129
Householder	115,096
Spouse	65,747
Child	142,362
Other relatives	11,743
Nonrelatives	13,814
Unmarried partner	4,644
Roomer or boarder	2,338
Housemate or roommate	3,831
Unmarried partner	14,719
Foster child	505
Other	2,496

RELATIONSHIP NONFAMILY HOUSEHOLDS
Population in nonfamily households	175,935
Male householder	59,339
Male householder living alone	40,069
Male householder not living alone	19,270
Female householder	65,093
Female householder living alone	48,875
Female householder not living alone	16,218
Nonrelatives	51,503
Unmarried partner	10,075
Roomer or boarder	5,221
Housemate or roommate	34,179
Foster child	114
Other	1,914

RELATIONSHIP BY SEX
Females 15 years and over	299,644
Never married	135,859
Now married	99,058
Separated	10,820
Widowed	28,585
Divorced	25,322
Males 15 years and over	N/A
Never married	N/A
Now married	N/A
Separated	6,561
Widowed	6,623
Divorced	17,195

TOTAL POPULATION BY SEX AND AGE
Total Population	589,141
Male	283,588
Under 5 years	16,401
5 to 9 years	17,341
10 to 14 years	16,393
15 to 17 years	9,375
18 and 19 years	12,016
20 years	7,018
21 years	6,807
22 to 24 years	20,033
25 to 29 years	33,466
30 to 34 years	28,579
35 to 39 years	23,659
40 to 44 years	19,666
45 to 49 years	16,400
50 to 54 years	14,026
55 to 59 years	10,627
60 and 61 years	3,598
62 to 64 years	4,748
65 and 66 years	2,874
67 to 69 years	4,096
70 to 74 years	6,243
75 to 79 years	4,998
80 to 84 years	2,999
85 years and over	2,225
Female	305,553
Under 5 years	15,645
5 to 9 years	16,380
10 to 14 years	16,160
15 to 17 years	8,864
18 and 19 years	13,376
20 years	7,357
21 years	6,881
22 to 24 years	21,988
25 to 29 years	34,632
30 to 34 years	28,085
35 to 39 years	23,103
40 to 44 years	19,992
45 to 49 years	17,418
50 to 54 years	15,710
55 to 59 years	12,119
60 and 61 years	4,179
62 to 64 years	5,763
65 and 66 years	3,622
67 to 69 years	5,259
70 to 74 years	9,060
75 to 79 years	7,895
80 to 84 years	5,783
85 years and over	6,282

TOTAL POPULATION BY RACE
Total population	589,141
One race	563,263
White	320,944
Black or African American	149,202
American Indian and Alaska Native	2,365
Asian	44,284
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	366
Some other race	8,215
Two or more races	25,878

RACE POPULATION IN HOUSEHOLDS
Total population in households	554,064
People who are White alone	296,100
People who are Black or African American alone	143,865
People who are American Indian and Alaska Native alone	2,242
People who are Asian alone	41,674
People who are Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone	336
People who are Hispanic or Latino	82,098
People who are Some other race alone	44,941

RESIDENCE IN 1995
Population 5 years and over	651,708
Same house	321,407
Different house - same county	N/A
Different county - same state	59,154
Different state or abroad	125,586
Different state	76,585
Abroad	49,001

PLACE OF BIRTH (Suffolk County)
Total resident population	689,807
Born in United States	396,402
State of residence	344,182
Different state	146,589
Born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas	23,005
Foreign born	176,031

Boston Education and School Enrollment

School enrollment refers to students currently attending school, both private and public. By understanding the school enrollment in an area, you can make decisions concerning your kids' environments and even job markets. In a table below, we provide you with the total school enrollment for children 3 years and older in the county surrounding Boston. That total enrollment is 209,914 for the population of the country, which includes Boston. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 188,651 and elementary or high school enrollment was 202,245 children. College or graduate school enrollment was 91,259.

Education attainment is defined as "the highest level of education completed in terms of highest degree or the highest level or schooling completed." The table below shows the Boston population over 25 years old and their level of education achievement.

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
Population 3 years and over enrolled in school	209,914
Pre-kindergarten	8,285
Public	4,709
Private	3,576
Kindergarten	9,246
Public	7,017
Private	N/A
Elementary school grades 1 to 8	66,175
Public	54,298
Private	11,877
Elementary and high school	101,123
Public	84,252
Private	16,871
High school grades 9 to 12	34,948
Public	29,954
Private	4,994
College, undergraduate years	66,928
Public	20,953
Private	45,975
Graduate or professional school	24,332
Public	4,256
Private	20,076
Not enrolled in school	455,727

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Population 25 years and over	446,504
Less than 9th grade	42,324
9th to 12th grade, no diploma	55,286
High school graduate	114,919
Some college, no degree	66,458
Associate's degree	22,607
Bachelor's degree	144,910
Graduate or professional degree	32.5
Percent high school graduate or higher	78.1
Percent bachelor's degree or higher	83,802

Boston Employment and Labor Characteristics

There are 565,141 people that are employed over the age of 16 in Boston. The Boston occupations categories include management, professional and related occupations (135,316), service occupations (59,487), sales and office occupations (86,419), farming, fishing and forestry occupations (392), constructions, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations (17,728) and production, transportation and material moving occupations (30,449). The 565,141 employed over the age of 16 are broken down into the class of worker. There are 270,102 private wage and salary workers, 44,354 government workers, 14,947 self-employed workers and approximately N/A unpaid family workers.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS (Suffolk County)
Population 16 years and over	565,141
In labor force	355,108
Civilian labor force	354,808
Employed	329,791
Unemployed	25,017
Percent Unemployed	7.1
Armed Forces	300
Females 16 years and over	296,270
In labor force	174,974
Civilian labor force	174,928
Unemployed Civilian labor force	11,501
Armed forces	46
Males 16 years and over	268,871
In labor force	180,134
Civilian labor force	N/A
Unemployed Civilian labor force	13,516
Armed forces	254

COMMUTING TO WORK (Suffolk County)
Workers 16 years and over	320,979
Car, truck, or van -- drove alone	140,236
Car, truck, or van -- carpooled	31,406
Public transportation (excluding taxicab)	N/A
Walked	37,865
Other means	1,826
Worked at home	7,316
Mean travel time to work (minutes)	9,094,595

OCCUPATION (Suffolk County)
Civilian employed population 16 years and over	135,316
Management, professional, and related occupations	135,316
Service occupations	59,487
Sales and office occupations	86,419
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	392
Construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations	17,728
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations	30,449

INDUSTRY (Suffolk County)
Civilian employed population 16 years and over	135,316
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining	445
Construction	N/A
Manufacturing	21,414
Wholesale trade	7,039
Retail trade	28,959
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities	15,896
Information	14,018
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing	33,879
Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative	47,438
Educational services, and health care and social assistance	84,064
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation, and food services	30,486
Other services, except public administration	N/A
Public administration	17,165

CLASS OF WORKER (Suffolk County)
Civilian employed population 16 years and over	135,316
Private wage and salary workers	270,102
Government workers	44,354
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business	14,947
Unpaid family workers	N/A

Boston Housing Characteristics

In Boston, MA there are 292,520 housing units; of those housing units, there are approximately 278,722 occupied and 13,798 vacant. Types of homes change over the years, but single family homes detached have remained fairly consistent. In Boston, there are 39,097 1-unit detached housing units. Single-family attached homes, 1-unit attached, which are also known as row houses or town homes, total 14,027 units in Boston. Apartment housing and apartment buildings are from 2-50 units and the statistics are below. With so many housing units people are always in need of Boston, MA local movers to help them move from one place to another so be sure to check out MovingIdeas.org for moving guides, Boston, MA truck rentals options, quotes and additional information.

There are several different ranges if you are looking to rent or are a renter in Boston. There are 16,474 housing units with rent less than $200, 11,548 with rent between $200-299, 16,548 with rent between $300-499 and 131,768 with rent for $500 and above. Full Boston gross rent statistics are shown in the table below. Regardless of the housing unit value, it is always suggested by MovingIdeas.org to have Boston, MA home security systems installed to keep you and your family safe.

HOUSING OCCUPANCY (Suffolk County)
Total housing units	292,520
Occupied housing units	278,722
Vacant housing units	13,798

UNITS IN STRUCTURE (Suffolk County)
Total housing units	292,520
1-unit, detached	39,097
1-unit, attached	14,027
2 units	46,674
3 or 4 units	73,731
5 to 9 units	32,068
10 to 19 units	25,773
20 to 49 units	25,841
50 or more units	34,733
Mobile home	531

HOUSING TENURE (Suffolk County)
Occupied housing units	278,722
Owner-occupied	94,558
Renter-occupied	184,164

VEHICLES AVAILABLE (Suffolk County)
Occupied housing units	278,722
No vehicles available	92,579
2 vehicle available	61,515
3 vehicles available	8,785
4 vehicles available	2,047
5 or more vehicles available	1,317

HOUSE HEATING FUEL (Suffolk County)
Occupied housing units	278,722
Utility gas	133,246
Bottled, tank, or LP gas	N/A
Electricity	56,462
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	76,344
Coal or coke	70
Wood	17
Solar energy	43
Other fuel	2,643
No fuel used	2,253

HOUSING UNIT VALUE (Suffolk County)
Occupied housing units	278,722
Less Than $50,000	94,558
$50,000 to $99,999	2,039
$100,000 to $149,999	8,477
$150,000 to $199,999	11,707
$200,000 to $299,999	10,979
$300,000 to $499,999	3,126
$1,000,000 or more	593
Median (dollars)	187,300

GROSS RENT (Suffolk County)
Occupied units paying rent	184,164
Less than $200	16,474
$200 to $299	11,548
$300 to $499	16,548
$500 to $699	28,043
$700 to $999	55,352
$1,000 to $1,499	37,492
$1,500 or more	10,880