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Living in
Gloucester.
About
Life in Gloucester
If you're considering Gloucester, understand that you're not moving to a quaint seaside village—you're moving to a real working city where the fishing industry remains central to the identity and economy, alongside growing arts and creative sectors. The cost of living is solidly upper-middle: homes average around $601,000 and rent runs about $1,411 monthly, which is reasonable for the Massachusetts North Shore but not cheap. The community skews older—median age is 50 and a quarter of residents are 65 or older—and family-oriented, with 44% of households being married couples.
Gloucester at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
50.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.6%
Foreign-Born
10.2%
Broadband Internet
90.7%
of households
Population Growth
+3.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.2% foreign-born, most often from Brazil
Who lives in Gloucester: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gloucester, the largest foreign-born group is from Brazil (23.2%), and 6.3% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
15.1%
of residents
65 and Older
27.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.5%
of households
Married Couples
44.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.22
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 20% below MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Gloucester
In Gloucester, rent runs 20% below the MA average, and home values are 7% above the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,152
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1946
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $767,322 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts above MA average
Unemployment in Gloucester
Unemployment in Gloucester is 1 percentage points higher than the MA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Gloucester Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.9 min avg
How Gloucester residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gloucester, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 72% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 32% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gloucester runs 32% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
225.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
542.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gloucester Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Essex County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Essex County, which includes Gloucester, the most common type is strong wind, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18,700 |
| 2024 | 9 | High Wind | $3,500 |
| 2023 | 18 | Heavy Snow | $21,500 |
| 2022 | 19 | Strong Wind | $140,700 |
| 2021 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $261,900 |
| 2020 | 37 | High Wind | $63,100 |
| 2019 | 26 | Strong Wind | $171,950 |
| 2018 | 34 | Strong Wind | $564,200 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Essex County, county-wide
Gloucester is about 4% of Essex County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Essex County, which includes Gloucester, is typically good — 296 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
296
per year
Moderate Days
66
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Essex County, county-wide
Gloucester is about 4% of Essex County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate78°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gloucester has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/34°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.0"
Annual Snowfall
51.4"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
133
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
128
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 18°F | 3.74" |
| Feb | 39°F | 18°F | 3.61" |
| Mar | 45°F | 25°F | 4.64" |
| Apr | 57°F | 34°F | 4.20" |
| May | 66°F | 44°F | 3.47" |
| Jun | 75°F | 54°F | 3.99" |
| Jul | 80°F | 60°F | 3.43" |
| Aug | 79°F | 58°F | 3.36" |
| Sep | 72°F | 51°F | 3.82" |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 4.99" |
| Nov | 51°F | 31°F | 3.98" |
| Dec | 42°F | 24°F | 4.79" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gloucester
Uninsured
2.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Gloucester's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northeast Hospital Corporation
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.8 mi away · Beverly
North Shore Medical Center -
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14 mi away · Salem
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gloucester
Gloucester's student/teacher ratio is 10.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 40.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
40.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Gloucester (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 4,393 students · in-state tuition $5,448 · 30% graduate · median earnings $51,866 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 4,291 students · in-state tuition $12,708 · 62% graduate · median earnings $62,762 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,125 students · in-state tuition $42,650 · 75% graduate · median earnings $77,059 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 226 students · in-state tuition $42,520 · 65% graduate · median earnings $40,733 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Salem Maritime National Historical Park, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gloucester
Gloucester has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Salem Maritime National Historical Park (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Salem Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awaySaugus Iron Works National Historic Site
National Historic Site
20 mi awayBoston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
26 mi awayBoston National Historical Park
National Historical Park
26 mi awayBoston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
27 mi awayLongfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
29 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
30 mi awayAdams National Historical Park
National Historical Park
31 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gloucester
Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Lib
2 Dale Ave., Gloucester
Cities Near Gloucester
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gloucester?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gloucester FAQ
Is Gloucester, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Gloucester's median rent is $1,411/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $83,883/year. Median home value is $600,600.
Is Gloucester, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Gloucester's violent crime rate was 226 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 543 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gloucester, Massachusetts?⌄
Gloucester has an unemployment rate of 5.5%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gloucester, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Gloucester is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,411/month and median household income is $83,883/year. The median home value is $600,600. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gloucester, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Gloucester is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from