City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Russell, MA

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

568
Residents
$103,456
Median income
$280,000
Median home
$1,734
Median rent (state)

Russell - the verdict

Nationally, Russell sits in the 80th percentile for household income and the 88th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

80th
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
70th
percentile, median rent
88th
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: Russell, MA

Massachusetts's Russell is a small town, with 568 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $103,456 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.2%. Russell's housing stock carries a median value of $280,000, and the median resident age is 37.9 years. About 32.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Russell reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 422.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Massachusetts at 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,734 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Massachusetts's average monthly utility costs around $330 (state average). Workers in Russell report an average commute of 24.8 minutes, with 85.6% driving alone and 7.7% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

568 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$103,456 /yr

Poverty 8.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Russell compare to other US cities?

Here's how Russell stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 80% higher than other cities
Home value 62% pricier than other cities
Median rent 70% pricier than other cities
Safety 88% 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: Russell ranks #30 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Russell against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Russell near the bottom of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Russell ranks #211 - the 10th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Russell only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#103 of 233
56th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#211 of 247
10th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#216 of 240
10th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#59 of 247
76th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#190 of 247
23rd percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

80thIncome percentile
88thSafety percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income · 88th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Russell's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Russell'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 67 Avg. percentile National median
Russell'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 Russell's home value compares nationally

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

$280,000 38th percentile more affordable than 38% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Russell $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 - Russell, MA Russell, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Russell, 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 Russell, MA median $103,456/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%
Russell, 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 Russell, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.3%

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

Population
568
Median Income
$103,456
Median Home Value
$280,000
Median Age
37.9
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Labor force participation
57.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
422.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
181.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
241.4
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.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.8 minutes
Drive Alone
85.6%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
6.7%
Work from Home
7.7%

Based on 299 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 Russell sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,734/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Cheshire
584 people
Barre
550 people
Seabrook
545 people
West Warren
619 people
Popponesset
501 people
Chester
692 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Russell's 568 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hurtsboro, AL
568 people
Indianola, CA
568 people
Warm Springs, GA
568 people
Pomeroy, IA
568 people
Rudd, IA
568 people
Grayson, LA
568 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Russell's $103,456 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Arbury Hills, IL
$103,456 median income
Nederland, CO
$103,452 median income
South Coventry, CT
$103,466 median income
Melrose Park, NY
$103,472 median income
Kewaskum, WI
$103,472 median income
Buckingham, FL
$103,438 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Russell, 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 Russell, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.4% 8.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.4% White 88.4% Black or African American 1.8% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 8.3% 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 Russell 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
Russell (this city) 568 $103,456
Cheshire 584 N/A
Barre 550 $55,625
Seabrook 545 N/A
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Russell, MA?

What is the population of Russell, MA? +

568 people live in Russell, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Russell is $103,456 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Russell? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Russell; 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 Russell, MA safe? +

Russell has a total crime rate of 422.5 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 Russell, MA? +

A typical home in Russell is worth $280,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.