Wellesley, Massachusetts Income Statistics
Wellesley Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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A+
Wellesley Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wellesley | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $208,894 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $133,317 | $80,230 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.3% | 4.9% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 35.9% | 20.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 60.8% | 22.3% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wellesley is about 100% higher than in Massachusetts. Income has been growing slower in Wellesley (2.3%/yr) than in Massachusetts (4.9%/yr).
About 36% of adults in Wellesley earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Massachusetts average of 21%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Wellesley, Massachusetts grew by 55.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $208,894 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wellesley
| Metric | Wellesley | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.579 | 0.531 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $138,826 | $90,842 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $126,084 | $75,629 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 9.2% | 16.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Wellesley, it is 0.579, higher than Massachusetts's 0.531, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 10% more than women's income in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Over a 35-year career, a 10% wage gap accumulates to roughly $445,970 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wellesley, Massachusetts has narrowed from about 28% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $24,546 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wellesley | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 32.0% | 18.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 25 | 22 |
Approximately 621 people are unemployed in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
The average commute time in Wellesley is 25 minutes, about the same as in Massachusetts.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wellesley, Massachusetts has fallen from 6.4% to 4.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 3.4% in 2023.
Wellesley, MA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Wellesley, MA is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 30,372 residents against a local median of 64,842. Where Wellesley, MA breaks from the cities next to it is income growth, sitting 52% below the local median of 4.9%/yr at 2.3%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.4% against a local median of 3.8%, 17% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Wellesley, MA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The cities themselves sit within 0.5%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Wellesley, MA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Wellesley, MA has the 4th highest income growth of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellesley, MA | 30,372 | $208,894 #1/4 | 2.3%/yr #4/4 | 4.4% #4/4 | 0.579 #4/4 |
| Needham, MA | 32,445 | $202,463 | 4.6%/yr | 4.4% | 0.488 |
| Newton, MA | 88,909 | $190,683 | 5.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.523 |
| Waltham, MA | 64,842 | $118,718 | 4.9%/yr | 3.7% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wellesley, Massachusetts has an overall wealth index grade of A+, making it somewhat better than Massachusetts, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
How Rich Is Wellesley, Massachusetts?
Wellesley has a wealth index grade of A+. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A+ grade means it is one of the most prosperous areas in the country. The median household income is $208,894, about 100% higher than the Massachusetts average of $104,336.
How fast is household income rising in Wellesley, Massachusetts?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wellesley, Massachusetts rose 55%, from $134,466 to $208,894. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Massachusetts as a whole: +55% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Wellesley in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wellesley, Massachusetts was $209,053, about the same as in 2022. The Massachusetts median that year was $101,513.
What was the median household income in Wellesley in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wellesley, Massachusetts was $202,973. By 2024 it had risen 3% to $208,894.
How many people earn six figures in Wellesley, Massachusetts?
Yes. 36% of adults in Wellesley, Massachusetts earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 3), against 21% (about 1 in 5) in Massachusetts. 61% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 22% in Massachusetts.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wellesley, Massachusetts?
The Gini coefficient in Wellesley is 0.579. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Wellesley, Massachusetts?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wellesley, Massachusetts has narrowed from about 28% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $24,546 since 2009.
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