Newton, Massachusetts Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Newton, MA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top grade
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A+
Income Top grade
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Newton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 88,909 | 7,031,620 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4896.4 | 666.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.08% | 0.53% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.9 | 39.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 32,194 | 2,777,931 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Newton grew by 6.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 88,909 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Newton is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.7% of residents. That is 2.2 points above Massachusetts as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 21,106 23.7% +2.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 16,222 18.2% -3.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 19,536 22.0% +0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 15,543 17.5% +0.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Massachusetts, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.8% of the people living in Newton and men 48.2%.
- Women 51.8% Massachusetts 51.2%
- Men 48.2% Massachusetts 48.8%
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Economy
Newton has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Newton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $190,683 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.14% | 4.91% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Newton is about 83% higher than in Massachusetts.
Housing
| Metric | Newton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,092,024 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,369 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.0% | 62.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Newton is about 38.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,369 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Newton spend about 50 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 209 hours, about 8.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Newton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 25.1 | 25.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 50.3 | 51.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 209 | 213 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,491 | $6,603 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 32.2% | 18.6% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 24,827 | 14,741 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,207 | 2,164 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Newton is 25 minutes, shorter than the 26 minutes in Massachusetts.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Newton has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Newton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.7% | 42.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.56 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Newton has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Newton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 84.7 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 6.7% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 7.0% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Newton, MA Compared With Nearby Cities
Newton, MA is the largest of the 6 cities compared here, 88,909 residents against a local median of 35,594. Where Newton, MA breaks from the cities next to it is median household income, sitting 33% above the local median of $143,651 at $190,683. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread $83,745 on median household income, so Newton, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Newton, MA has the 2nd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton, MA | 88,909 | $190,683 #2/6 | $1,092,024 #3/6 | 25.1 min #2/6 |
| Watertown, MA | 35,594 | $126,987 | $1,053,396 | 26.2 min |
| Needham, MA | 32,445 | $202,463 | $58,562 | 27.6 min |
| Waltham, MA | 64,842 | $118,718 | $637,278 | 22.3 min |
| Brookline, MA | 63,198 | $143,651 | $1,239,921 | 27.0 min |
| Belmont, MA | 27,165 | $187,422 | $2,163,043 | 30.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Newton, Massachusetts.
What is the population of Newton, Massachusetts?
About 88,909 people live in Newton, Massachusetts, in 32,194 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 42.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Newton, Massachusetts urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Newton, Massachusetts has 4,896 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 57 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Newton, Massachusetts?
The median home costs 5.7 times the median household income ($1,092,024 against $190,683), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,369 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Newton, Massachusetts?
Unemployment in Newton, Massachusetts is only 3.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Newton, Massachusetts?
70.7% of adults in Newton, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 7 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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