N.E. states compared in census data Housing costs, incomes rise in Mass. last year

BOSTON – Housing costs jumped in Massachusetts last year while the number of children living in poverty fell and household incomes grew, according to new U.S. Census figures.

The report looked at changes in income, travel time to work, education and home values between 2000 and 2001. The new figures are designed to supplement federal census data compiled every 10 years.

The cost of a single-family home in the Boston metropolitan area jumped from $246,109 in 2000 to $287,425 last year, according to the report. The area includes about 50 communities extending to Route 495 and along the north and south shores.

That’s well ahead of housing costs in the state as a whole, which increased from $198,364 to $222,470, and more than double the national median cost of a single-family home of about $127,692.

Other New England states saw modest increases in housing costs, but all remained dramatically lower than Massachusetts. In New Hampshire, the median price of a home was $150,950, compared with Rhode Island, $147,928; Vermont, $120,596; and Maine $105,876.

The census does not include Connecticut in its review of New England states.

There was some good news in the report for Massachusetts.

The number of children living in poverty fell from 13.3 percent in 2000 to 11.2 percent last year. In the Boston area, the number fell to 9.2 percent.

That’s well below the national average of 16.4 percent in 2001.

In Maine, the number of children in poverty fell slightly, to 10.4 percent in 2001. In other neighboring states, the numbers increased, rising to 17.4 percent in Rhode Island, 14.3 percent in Vermont and 6.5 percent in New Hampshire.

Massachusetts also fared well when it came to education and income.

The median household income in the state inched up from $51,143 to $52,477 in 2001; in the Boston area, median income levels reached $59,956.

That was well ahead of the national median household income level, which fell slightly to $42,317 in 2001, and other New England states, including Rhode Island, $42,784; Vermont, $42,027; and Maine at $37,359.

New Hampshire’s median household income, $52,479, was two dollars higher than Massachusetts. Massachusetts was also ahead of the nation and its neighbors when it comes to higher education.

The number of people with bachelor’s degrees or higher rose to 35.6 percent in Massachusetts and 42.1 percent in the Boston area in 2001, compared with a national average of 25.5 percent.

In other New England states, the average was lower, including Vermont at 29.9 percent; New Hampshire, 29 percent; Rhode Island, 27.4 percent; and Maine at 22.4 percent.

Other statistics showed little change, including the average commute to work, which remained unchanged in the Boston area at 27.7 minutes, compared with a national rate of 24.3 minutes.

Census officials said they hope that by conducting the more in-depth reports, known as the American Community Survey, on an annual basis, they can focus more attention every 10 years on the basic task of accurately counting the number of people in the country.

“[This] enables us in 2010 to focus all of our managerial resources on counting the population,” said U.S. Census Bureau Director C. Louis Kincannon.

Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin said the annual reports would help state and local officials better plan transportation, housing and other projects.