City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Winthrop, MA

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

18,807
Residents
$106,357
Median income
$606,900
Median home
$2,941
Median rent (state)

Winthrop - the verdict

Nationally, Winthrop sits in the 81st percentile for household income and the 77th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

81st
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
77th
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: Winthrop, MA

Massachusetts's Winthrop is a small town, with 18,807 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $106,357 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Typical homes in Winthrop are valued around $606,900, and the median resident age is 43.6 years. Educational attainment runs 42.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 56 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 34% from five years earlier. Winthrop reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 680.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,941 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Massachusetts's average monthly utility costs around $330 (state average). The average commute for Winthrop workers runs 27.9 minutes, with 57.0% driving alone and 15.0% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 93.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

18,807 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$106,357 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Winthrop compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 77% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Massachusetts alone, Winthrop ranks #50 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Winthrop 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 sits close to the middle of Massachusetts's city distribution

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Winthrop ranks #4 - the 68th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Winthrop only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#96 of 233
59th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#4 of 247
68th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#81 of 240
66th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#85 of 247
65th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#139 of 247
43rd 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.

81stIncome percentile
77thSafety percentile

81st percentile nationally for median household income · 77th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Winthrop's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Winthrop'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 55 Avg. percentile National median
Winthrop'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 Winthrop's home value compares nationally

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

$606,900 11th percentile more affordable than 11% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Winthrop $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 - Winthrop, MA Winthrop, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Winthrop, 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 Winthrop, MA median $106,357/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%
Winthrop, 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 Winthrop, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 42.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.8%

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

Population
18,807
Median Income
$106,357
Median Home Value
$606,900
Median Age
43.6
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
63.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
42.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
680.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
158.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
522.9
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
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,400 residents18,600 residents18,800 residents19,000 residents19,200 residents19,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 19,255 residents 18,647 residents ▼ -3.2%
Winthrop's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
56
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
56
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 85
2020 70
2021 95
2022 14
2023 8
2024 56

Permit volume decreased 34% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.9 minutes
Drive Alone
57.0%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
14.8%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
15.0%
Other
2.1%

Based on 10,003 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 Winthrop sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,941/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Newburyport
18,444 people
Somerset
18,246 people
Southbridge
17,806 people
Greenfield
17,662 people
Marblehead
20,334 people
Amesbury
17,277 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Winthrop's 18,807 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cimarron Hills, CO
18,808 people
St. Marys, GA
18,805 people
Brownwood, TX
18,805 people
Martinsburg, WV
18,805 people
Weirton, WV
18,785 people
Gibsonton, FL
18,831 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Winthrop's $106,357 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Mount Vernon, IA
$106,356 median income
Eudora, KS
$106,356 median income
Winter Garden, FL
$106,371 median income
Crestview Hills, KY
$106,375 median income
Kotzebue, AK
$106,328 median income
Lochsloy, WA
$106,328 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Winthrop, 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 Winthrop, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.0% 7.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.8% White 80.0% Black or African American 3.4% Asian 1.7% American Indian 1.9% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.8% Two or more races 7.1% 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 Winthrop 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
Winthrop (this city) 18,807 $106,357
Newburyport 18,444 $144,259
Somerset 18,246 $111,720
Southbridge 17,806 $59,397
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Winthrop, MA?

What is the population of Winthrop, MA? +

18,807 people live in Winthrop, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Winthrop runs $106,357, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Winthrop? +

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

Winthrop has a total crime rate of 680.9 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 Winthrop, MA? +

A typical home in Winthrop is worth $606,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.