Demographics and Diversity
Seniors Living Alone

Decreasing


People 65 or Older Living Alone

What does this measure?

The share of residents 65 or older in a geographic area who are living alone.

Why is this important?

Population measures provide insight on the changing size and face of communities, and the distribution of population among ages affects the character of and challenges faced by a community. Older people may need more supports, particularly those living alone.

How is our region doing?

In 2016-20, 38% of residents in the MetroWest region ages 65 and older lived alone, a decline of 2 percentage points from 2011-15. That's about 134,000 people in MetroWest, and very similar to the state and national rates. Every locality had less than 50%, but more than 15%, of its 65 or older population living alone.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

People 65 or Older Living Alone
2011-152016-20
United States38%37%
Massachusetts41%39%
Region40%38%
Middlesex County40%38%
Norfolk County41%37%
Worcester County40%39%
Acton town, Middlesex County37%*33%*
Ashland town, Middlesex County36%*38%*
Bedford town, Middlesex County34%*49%*
Bellingham town, Norfolk County45%*46%**
Boxborough town, Middlesex County50%**40%**
Carlisle town, Middlesex County19%***32%**
Concord town, Middlesex County38%41%*
Dedham town, Norfolk County43%46%
Dover town, Norfolk County22%**21%**
Framingham city, Middlesex County43%41%
Franklin town, Norfolk County32%*35%*
Groton town, Middlesex County31%**38%**
Harvard town, Worcester County20%**21%**
Holliston town, Middlesex County33%*29%*
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County30%**33%**
Hudson town, Middlesex County36%37%
Lexington town, Middlesex County32%33%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County37%**49%*
Littleton town, Middlesex County34%*25%*
Marlborough city, Middlesex County44%42%*
Maynard town, Middlesex County54%*33%**
Medfield town, Norfolk County26%**26%*
Medway town, Norfolk County47%*34%**
Milford town, Worcester County35%40%*
Millis town, Norfolk County30%**16%**
Natick town, Middlesex County46%42%
Needham town, Norfolk County40%34%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County21%***24%***
Southborough town, Worcester County38%*31%*
Stow town, Middlesex County30%**23%**
Sudbury town, Middlesex County27%*25%*
Walpole town, Norfolk County38%35%*
Waltham city, Middlesex County45%41%
Wayland town, Middlesex County46%26%*
Wellesley town, Norfolk County36%34%
Westborough town, Worcester County40%*32%*
Westford town, Middlesex County30%*27%*
Weston town, Middlesex County31%*30%*
Westwood town, Norfolk County44%36%*

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of People 65 or Older Living Alone
2011-152016-20
United States11,857,87913,777,412
Massachusetts288,085319,873
Region122,786133,965
Middlesex County60,91166,305
Norfolk County30,58031,863
Worcester County31,29535,797
Acton town, Middlesex County683*775*
Ashland town, Middlesex County564*870*
Bedford town, Middlesex County500*858*
Bellingham town, Norfolk County725*911**
Boxborough town, Middlesex County201**175**
Carlisle town, Middlesex County102***229**
Concord town, Middlesex County9261,071*
Dedham town, Norfolk County1,4021,577
Dover town, Norfolk County134**146**
Framingham city, Middlesex County2,7603,293
Franklin town, Norfolk County830*1,126*
Groton town, Middlesex County319**460**
Harvard town, Worcester County108**132**
Holliston town, Middlesex County482*479*
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County277**501**
Hudson town, Middlesex County8871,001
Lexington town, Middlesex County1,2101,469
Lincoln town, Middlesex County294**485*
Littleton town, Middlesex County309*278*
Marlborough city, Middlesex County1,5851,796*
Maynard town, Middlesex County632*347**
Medfield town, Norfolk County244**284*
Medway town, Norfolk County513*388**
Milford town, Worcester County8771,414*
Millis town, Norfolk County204**188**
Natick town, Middlesex County1,7071,880
Needham town, Norfolk County1,3881,387
Sherborn town, Middlesex County86***107***
Southborough town, Worcester County336*292*
Stow town, Middlesex County228**185**
Sudbury town, Middlesex County446*496*
Walpole town, Norfolk County1,093930*
Waltham city, Middlesex County2,7362,804
Wayland town, Middlesex County835406*
Wellesley town, Norfolk County970941
Westborough town, Worcester County628*551*
Westford town, Middlesex County558*600*
Weston town, Middlesex County429*456*
Westwood town, Norfolk County946756*

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Drug Poisoning Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Maintaining
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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