Boston, Massachusetts Population History 1840 - 2021
Boston Population By Year
| Year | Population | Rank in US | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 654,776 | 24 | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 674,272 | 24 | 0.9% |
| 2010 | 617,594 | 22 | 0.5% |
| 2000 | 590,433 | 20 | 0.3% |
| 1990 | 574,289 | 20 | 0.2% |
| 1980 | 562,994 | 20 | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 641,071 | 16 | -0.8% |
| 1960 | 697,197 | 13 | -1.4% |
| 1950 | 801,444 | 10 | 0.4% |
| 1940 | 770,816 | 9 | -0.1% |
| 1930 | 781,188 | 9 | 0.4% |
| 1920 | 748,060 | 7 | 1.1% |
| 1910 | 670,585 | 5 | 1.8% |
| 1900 | 560,892 | 5 | 2.3% |
| 1890 | 448,477 | 6 | 2.1% |
| 1880 | 362,839 | 5 | 3.8% |
| 1870 | 250,526 | 7 | 3.5% |
| 1860 | 177,840 | 5 | 2.7% |
| 1850 | 136,881 | 3 | 3.9% |
| 1840 | 93,383 | 5 | – |
Boston Population Facts
What is the current population of Boston?
Based on the latest 2022 data from the US census, the current population of Boston is 654,776. Boston, Massachusetts is the 24th largest city in the US.
What county is Boston, Massachusetts in?
Boston is located entirely in Suffolk County.
What is the size of Boston, Massachusetts in square miles?
Boston has an area of 48.3 square miles. Boston is the 2nd largest city, by area, in Massachusetts.What was the peak population of Boston?
The peak population of Boston was in 1950, when its population was 801,444. In 1950, Boston was the 10th largest city in the US; now its fallen to the 24th largest city in the US. Boston is currently 18.3% smaller than it was in 1950.
How quickly is Boston growing?
Boston has grown 10.8% since the 2000. Boston, Massachusetts's growth is below average. 65% of similarly sized cities are growing faster since 2000.
Is Boston the biggest city in Massachusetts?
Yes, Boston is the biggest city in the state of Massachusetts based on population. Boston is also the only city in Massachusetts that is among the top 100 biggest cities in the US.
What is the population density of Boston, Massachusetts?
Boston has a population density of 12,792.7 people per square mile. Boston has the 3rd highest population density among large cities in the United States.
Similarly Sized Cities In US
| US Rank | Name | Population | Growth 2000-2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Seattle, Washington | 733,919 | 30.1% |
| 19 | Denver, Colorado | 711,463 | 27.9% |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 687,725 | 35.4% |
| 21 | Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee | 678,851 | 24.3% |
| 22 | El Paso, Texas | 678,415 | 20.1% |
| 23 | Washington, District of Columbia | 670,050 | 17.1% |
| 24 | Boston, Massachusetts | 654,776 | 10.8% |
| 25 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 646,790 | 33.4% |
| 26 | Portland, Oregon | 641,162 | 20.9% |
| 27 | Detroit, Michigan | 632,464 | -33.0% |
| 28 | Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky | 628,594 | 13.4% |
| 29 | Memphis, Tennessee | 628,127 | -8.9% |
| 30 | Baltimore, Maryland | 576,498 | -11.1% |
Boston Demographics
What is the voting age population of Boston, Massachusetts?
The total voting age population of Boston, Massachusetts, meaning US citizens 18 or older, is 483,436. The voting age population is 46.9% male and 53.1% female.
What percentage of Boston, Massachusetts residents are senior citizens?
According to the latest census statistics, 11.5% of the residents of Boston are 65 or older.
What are the racial demographics of Boston, Massachusetts?
The racial demographics of Boston are 52.8% White, 25.2% Black, 9.7% Asian, 6.7% Other, 5.3% Two or more races, 0.3% American Indian and 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Additionally, 19.8% of the population identifies as Hispanic.
What percentage of Boston, Massachusetts residents are below the poverty line?
In Boston, 18.9% of residents have an income below the poverty line, and the child poverty rate is 27.7%. On a per-household basis, 14.1% of families are below the poverty line in Boston.
What percentage of Boston, Massachusetts residents are in the labor force?
Among those aged 16 and older, 69.8% of Boston residents are in the labor force.
What are the education levels among Boston, Massachusetts residents?
Among the adult population 25 years old and over, 87.2% of Boston residents have at least a high school degree or equivalent, 49.7% have a bachelor's degree and 22.7% have a graduate or professional degree.
What percentage of Boston, Massachusetts residents speak a non-English language at home?
Among Boston residents aged 5 and older, 37.7% of them speak a non-English language at home. Broken down by language: 16.8% of residents speak Spanish at home, 11.4% speak an Indo-European language, and 7.3% speak an Asian language.
Boston Income & Labor Statistics
What is the unemployment rate in Boston, Massachusetts?
The unemployment rate in Boston is 6.6%, which is calculated among residents aged 16 or older who are in the labor force.
What percentage of Boston, Massachusetts residents work for the government?
In Boston, 10.6% of the residents in the non-military labor force are employed by the local, state and federal government.
What is the median income in Boston, Massachusetts?
The median household income in Boston is $71,115.
Boston Housing & Rent Statistics
What percentage of housing units are owner-occupied in Boston, Massachusetts?
In Boston, 35.0% of housing units are occupied by their owners.
What percentage of housing units are rented in Boston, Massachusetts?
Renters occupy 65.0% of housing units in Boston.
What percentage of Boston, Massachusetts housing units were built before 1940?
Of all the housing units in Boston, 49.6% of them were build before 1940.
What percentage of Boston, Massachusetts housing units were built after 2000?
In Boston, 11.4% of the total housing units were built after the year 2000, which is approximately 33,700 units.
What is the median monthly rent in Boston, Massachusetts?
The median gross monthly rent payment for renters in Boston is $1,620.
What percentage of households in Boston, Massachusetts have broadband internet?
In Boston, 85.4% of households have an active broadband internet connection.