City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Boston, PA

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

142
Residents
$133,500
Median home
$1,299
Median rent (state)

Boston - the verdict

142 people call Boston, Pennsylvania home. Source: Census ACS.

22nd
percentile, home value
45th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Boston, PA

Boston is a small town in Pennsylvania, home to 142 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Boston's housing stock carries a median value of $133,500, and the median resident age is 59.4 years. About 21.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 26.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Pennsylvania scores 97.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,299 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Pennsylvania run around $260, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

142 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

N/A /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Boston compare to other US cities?

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

Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 45% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Pennsylvania-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Boston near the bottom of Pennsylvania's cities

Among the 1,856 Pennsylvania cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Boston ranks #1,474 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Boston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Gross Rent
#685 of 1,865
45th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Home Value
#1,186 of 1,790
34th percentile in Pennsylvania
Poverty Rate
#1,474 of 1,856
0th percentile in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#942 of 1,861
49th percentile in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

How Boston's home value compares nationally

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

$133,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Boston $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

Median household income is not available for Boston in the current Census ACS release (common for very small places).

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 26.8%

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

Population
142
Median Income
N/A
Median Home Value
$133,500
Median Age
59.4
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
26.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.3%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.4%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
31.6%

Based on 38 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Boston sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,299/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Forksville
142 people
Laurel Mountain
142 people
Reightown
142 people
Clintondale
141 people
Atkinson Mills
145 people
Cove Forge
139 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Boston's 142 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lockwood CDP (Monterey County), CA
142 people
Blue Sky, CO
142 people
Fishersburg, IN
142 people
Mier, IN
142 people
Castalia, IA
142 people
Booneville, KY
142 people

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Boston, PA 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 Boston, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 100.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 100.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.0% 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 Boston compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Boston (this city) 142 N/A
Forksville 142 $52,188
Laurel Mountain 142 $71,250
Reightown 142 $51,875
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Boston, PA?

What is the population of Boston, PA? +

Boston, PA has a population of 142 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the cost of living in Boston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Boston; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Boston, PA? +

The median home value in Boston is $133,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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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.