Census tract · Suffolk County
Census Tract 502, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Census Tract 502, GEOID 25025050200, in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, entirely within Boston. 5,609 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±889); the 2020 Census counted 5,197.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,609
±889 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,197
Median household income
$100,636
±$14,375 (90% margin)
Suffolk County: $95,631
Median home value
$650,900
±$50,347 (90% margin)
Suffolk County: $705,800
Median gross rent
$2,058
±$180 (90% margin)
Suffolk County: $2,129
Where is Census Tract 502?
Census Tract 502 is one of 235 census tracts in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. It covers 0.09 square miles of land, 55,287 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 25025050200, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Boston | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 502: Tract 501.01, Tract 503 ($67,129), Tract 506 ($79,981), Tract 507 ($83,803) and Tract 509.01 ($118,167). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 502?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 502's population at 5,609 (±889) in 1,799 households; the 2020 Census counted 5,197 residents and 1,994 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 502 | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,609 ±889 | 666,442 |
| Households | 1,799 ±223 | 283,374 |
| Average household size | 3.11 ±0.34 | 2.19 |
| Housing units | 1,963 ±229 | 310,625 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 502?
The median resident of Census Tract 502 is 32.5 years old; 23.6% are under 18 and 5.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 58.0%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 28.3%. 49.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 502 | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5 ±2.0 | 33.3 |
| Under 18 years | 23.6% ±5.1 pts | 15.1% |
| 65 years and over | 5.3% ±1.9 pts | 13.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 58.0% ±12.9 pts | 19.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 28.3% ±10.5 pts | 44.1% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.4 pts | 19.3% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.1 pts | 10.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.3% ±6.1 pts | 5.9% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±3.1 pts | 1.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 49.0% ±9.4 pts | 27.8% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 65.1% ±11.0 pts | 35.6% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.4% ±1.5 pts | 2.1% |
| With a disability | 11.1% ±5.5 pts | 12.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.7% ±3.5 pts | 2.9% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 66.7% ±9.3 pts | 88.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36.4% ±7.5 pts | 54.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.2% ±5.0 pts | 26.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.8% ±7.9 pts | 80.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 502 earn?
Half of the 1,799 households in Census Tract 502 earn less than $100,636 a year (±$14,375), against $95,631 across Suffolk County: 102nd highest of the county's 209 tracts with a reliable estimate. 19.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 502 | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,636 ±$14,375 | $97,344 |
| Mean household income | $126,108 ±$23,486 | $143,767 |
| Per capita income | $40,874 ±$8,285 | $61,698 |
| People below the poverty line | 19.7% ±10.0 pts | 16.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 34.2% ±19.9 pts | 21.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.7% ±6.1 pts | 19.5% |
| Households with a computer | 96.8% ±2.6 pts | 95.6% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.9% ±4.5 pts | 92.0% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 502?
Owners occupy 31.2% of Census Tract 502's occupied homes and renters 68.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $650,900 by its owner (±$50,347). The median renter pays $2,058 a month including utilities, and 41.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 502 | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $650,900 ±$50,347 | $731,700 |
| Median gross rent | $2,058 ±$180 | $2,147 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.1% ±10.6 pts | 41.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,069 ±$701 | $2,986 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 31.2% ±9.6 pts | 35.7% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 68.8% ±9.6 pts | 64.3% |
| Housing units | 1,963 ±229 | 310,625 |
| Single-family detached homes | 9.2% ±8.6 pts | 11.9% |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.8% ±1.3 pts | 1.4% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.6% ±3.0 pts | 10.0% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 64.1% ±9.5 pts | 46.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 40.4% ±9.6 pts | 33.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 502 get to work?
21.9% of Census Tract 502's workers drive alone and 19.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.7%.
| Measure | Tract 502 | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 84.4% ±4.4 pts | 70.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% ±4.0 pts | 6.1% |
| Drove alone to work | 21.9% ±7.3 pts | 32.9% |
| Carpooled | 4.9% ±3.0 pts | 5.2% |
| Public transportation | 47.6% ±11.7 pts | 22.6% |
| Walked | 5.6% ±5.3 pts | 13.4% |
| Worked from home | 19.0% ±8.5 pts | 21.3% |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.3 min ±2.9 | 30.3 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 502 compare with the other tracts in Suffolk County?
Among Suffolk County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 502 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Suffolk County | In Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25th of 224 | 21st of 197 |
| Residents per square mile | 14th of 234 | 14th of 206 |
| Median household income | 102nd of 209 | 93rd of 182 |
| Per capita income | 146th of 221 | 133rd of 194 |
| Median home value | 116th of 198 | 111th of 171 |
| Median gross rent | 127th of 210 | 117th of 184 |
| Poverty rate | 75th of 181 | 68th of 161 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 149th of 218 | 142nd of 191 |
| Median age | 147th of 225 | 122nd of 198 |
| Owner-occupied share | 124th of 200 | 106th of 173 |
The tracts next to it on Suffolk County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 505 | 99th | $103,571±$21,397 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 711.01 | 100th | $101,204±$37,288 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 1606.01 | 101st | $100,917±$28,576 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 502 | 102nd | $100,636±$14,375 |
| Tract 1802 | 103rd | $99,861±$23,820 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 7.01 | 104th | $99,679±$20,642 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 708.02 | 105th | $98,250±$31,023 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 502?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 502 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections