Boston, MA — City Profile & Demographics 2026
Population 663,972 · Massachusetts · Updated May 2026
Population
663,972
Median Income
$94,755
Home Price
$793,154
Unemployment
6.0%
Poverty Rate
16.9%
Bachelor's+
54.1%
Full Demographics — Boston, MA
27 metrics across 8 categories, compared to US national averages.
Demographics
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 663,972 | — | |
| Pop. Density / sq mi | N/A | — | |
| Median Age | 33.2 | 38.9 | |
| Foreign Born | 27.5% | 13.8% | |
| White | 47.8% | 61.6% | |
| Black | 21.5% | 12.4% | |
| Asian | 10.0% | 6.0% | |
| Hispanic | 18.9% | 18.7% | |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | 13.2% |
Economy
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | $94,755 | $74,580 | |
| Per Capita Income | $60,001 | $40,480 | |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $85,405 | $64,500 | |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 3.8% | |
| Poverty Rate | 16.9% | 11.5% | |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 54.1% | 35.8% |
Housing
Source: Zillow ZHVI, Census ACS
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $793,154 | $410,000 | |
| Homeownership Rate | 35.4% | 65.4% |
Safety
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 326 | 380 | |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 1086 | 1950 |
Health
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 23.4% | 33.0% | |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 8.6% | 11.6% | |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 18.0% | 14.0% | |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 6.3% | 9.6% | |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 20.7% | 15.5% | |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 10.7% | 12.5% |
Climate
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 51.5°F | 54.5°F | |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 43.8 in | 30.2 in |
Air Quality
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 7.2 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 70.0% |
Commute
| Metric | Boston, MA | US Average | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | 33.1 min | 27.0 min |
Compare Boston with Another City
Popular Comparisons
About Boston, MA
Boston is a city in Massachusetts, United States. With a population of 663,972, it is one of the notable cities in the region. Compared to the US average, Boston shows stronger educational attainment (54.1% bachelor's degree vs 35.8% bachelor's degree US avg) and household income ($94,755 median HH income vs $74,580 median HH income US avg). However, the city has a higher unemployment at 6.0% unemployment, compared to the US average of 3.8% unemployment. Data sourced from US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Survey (2023), CDC PLACES, FBI CDE, NOAA, and EPA.