City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Wellesley, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Wellesley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

29,906
Residents
$250,001
Median income
$1,513,400
Median home
$2,311
Median rent (state)

Wellesley - the verdict

Wellesley ranks in the 99th percentile for household income and the 84th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

99th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
84th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Wellesley, MA

Massachusetts's Wellesley is a small city, with 29,906 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Wellesley households earn a median of $250,001 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.4%. Home values in Wellesley run a median of $1,513,400, and the median resident age is 38.1 years. Educational attainment runs 87.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Wellesley reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 531.7 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Massachusetts scores 105.8 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,311 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Massachusetts's average monthly utility costs around $330 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

29,906 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$250,001 /yr

Poverty 1.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Wellesley compare to other US cities?

Wellesley measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 99% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 84% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Massachusetts and the picture shifts: Wellesley ranks #36 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Wellesley's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Massachusetts, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

99thIncome percentile
84thSafety percentile

99th percentile nationally for median household income · 84th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wellesley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wellesley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 63 Avg. percentile National median
Wellesley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Wellesley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,513,400 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Wellesley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Wellesley, MA Wellesley, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wellesley, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Wellesley, MA median $250,001/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Wellesley, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Wellesley, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 87.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
29,906
Median Income
$250,001
Median Home Value
$1,513,400
Median Age
38.1
Poverty Rate
1.4%
Labor force participation
56.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
87.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
531.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
46.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
484.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
49.0%
Carpool
4.0%
Public Transit
4.9%
Walk
10.6%
Work from Home
30.8%
Other
0.7%

Based on 13,172 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Wellesley sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,311/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Gloucester
29,862 people
Melrose
29,488 people
North Attleborough
30,842 people
Bridgewater
28,669 people
Northampton
28,640 people
West Springfield
28,635 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wellesley's 29,906 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Algonquin, IL
29,904 people
Hazleton, PA
29,886 people
Winter Park, FL
29,929 people
Crofton, MD
29,878 people
Greenville, TX
29,936 people
Paragould, AR
29,940 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wellesley's $250,001 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alamo, CA
$250,001 median income
Atherton, CA
$250,001 median income
Bell Canyon, CA
$250,001 median income
Belvedere, CA
$250,001 median income
Camino Tassajara, CA
$250,001 median income
Castle Hill, CA
$250,001 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wellesley, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Wellesley, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 73.5% 14.0% 9.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.0% White 73.5% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 14.0% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 9.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Wellesley compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Wellesley (this city) 29,906 $250,001
Gloucester 29,862 $87,898
Melrose 29,488 $126,854
North Attleborough 30,842 $109,426
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wellesley, MA?

What is the population of Wellesley, MA? +

Wellesley, MA counts 29,906 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wellesley, MA? +

Wellesley households earn a median of $250,001 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wellesley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wellesley; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Wellesley, MA safe? +

Wellesley has a total crime rate of 531.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Wellesley, MA? +

A typical home in Wellesley is worth $1,513,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.