Census-designated place · Bristol County, Massachusetts

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts

Ocean Grove is a census-designated place in Bristol County, Massachusetts, part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area. It has 3,453 residents. Ocean Grove, Massachusetts has a quality-of-life score of 77 out of 100 (high), ranking #3,644 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Massachusetts it ranks #162 of 225 cities and towns. It ranks best on poverty rate (low), mammography screening (high) and mental health providers (high). It ranks worst on child care cost burden (high), preventable hospital stays (high) and new business applications (low).

77High

Quality-of-life score: #3,644 of 15,651 cities and towns
Massachusetts: #162 of 225 in MA
Population: 3,453 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 5,218.2 /mi²
FIPS code: 2550880

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 75 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety64#5,646/15,637
Economy73#4,274/15,631
Housing24#11,314/14,977
Health68#5,040/15,609
Healthcare74#4,052/15,650
Environment96#595/15,453
Education85#2,414/15,649
Infrastructure72#4,401/15,650
Community49#7,962/15,651
Leisure & amenities43#8,876/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Ocean Grove, Massachusetts ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Bristol County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Poverty rate · low0.5%
100/100Massachusetts 9.8%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001High uncertainty
Mammography screening · high58.0%
97/100Massachusetts 54.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBristol County value
Mental health providers · high617 /100k
94/100Massachusetts 787 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBristol County value
Firearm deaths · low3.6 /100k
94/100Massachusetts 3.5 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataBristol County value
Suicide rate · low8.4 /100k
91/100Massachusetts 8.4 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataBristol County value
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low6.0 µg/m³
89/100Massachusetts 6.4 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyBristol County value

Weaknesses

Child care cost burden · high41.5%
5/100Massachusetts 39.7%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBristol County value
Preventable hospital stays · high4,073 /100k
8/100Massachusetts 3,344 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBristol County value
New business applications · low8.3 /1k
9/100Massachusetts 11.1 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauBristol County value
Drug overdose deaths · high23.0 /100k
21/100Massachusetts 18.2 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataBristol County value
High ozone days · high3 days
21/100Massachusetts 2 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyBristol County value
Rent-burdened households · high73.9%
23/100Massachusetts 51.8%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
3,092 (2015-2019) → 3,453 (2020-2024)
+12%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
25.3% (2015-2019) → 73.9% (2020-2024)
+49 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
23.3% (2015-2019) → 42.0% (2020-2024)
+19 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Child poverty rateImproving
15.6% (2015-2019) → 0.0% (2020-2024)
−16 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Median household incomeImproving
$67,861 (2015-2019) → $118,696 (2020-2024)
+75%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
16.9% (2015-2019) → 29.2% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Ocean Grove, Massachusetts improved on 2 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Household income+75%$67,861 → $118,696
Bachelor's++12 points16.9% → 29.2%

Declined1

Rent / income+19 points23.3% → 42.0%

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of Ocean Grove, Massachusetts between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.6 min2015-2019	20.1 min2020-2024	−5.5 min	Within the margin of error	92%
Bachelor's degree or higher	16.9%2015-2019	29.2%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	94%
Broadband subscriptions	92.7%2015-2019	92.5%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	8%
Effective property tax rate	1.38%2015-2019	1.15%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	63%
High school diploma or higher	94.6%2015-2019	93.1%2020-2024	−1.5 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Home price to income ratio	3.4×2015-2019	3.1×2020-2024	−0.4×	Within the margin of error	91%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4172015-2019	0.3472020-2024	−0.070	Within the margin of error	90%
Median household income	$67,8612015-2019	$118,6962020-2024	+75%	Improved	96%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	23.3%2015-2019	42.0%2020-2024	+19 points	Declined	3%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Ocean Grove, Massachusetts five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Ocean Grove, Massachusetts in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Ocean Grove, Massachusetts itself moved +2.2 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,453 residents (±675)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 women (+7.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

3,453 residents (±675)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

White77%2,668
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino20%†699
Asian0.4%†15
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races2.1%†71

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: White (−17.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

2,609 residents (±500)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

No high school diploma6.9%†181
High school or GED26%†687
Some college25%†652
Associate degree13%†328
Bachelor's degree20%†514
Graduate degree9.5%†247

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: High school or GED (−17.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,290 households (±183)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under $25k6.1%†79
$25k–50k11%†143
$50k–75k18%†233
$75k–100k9.6%†124
$100k–150k19%†244
$150k–200k19%†241
$200k or more18%†226

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $200k or more (+11.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,290 households (±183)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Own88%1,136
Rent12%†154

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

138 households (±101)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under $7500.0%0
$750–1,00013%†18
$1,000–1,50048%†66

Home values

1,136 homes (±198)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under $150k11%†130
$150k–250k6.4%†73
$250k–400k46%†518

Age of homes

1,290 homes (±183)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

2010 or later0.6%†8
2000–20097.3%†94
1980–19990.0%0

Size of homes

1,290 homes (±183)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom5.4%†70
2 bedrooms43%†557

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,884 workers (±400)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Drive alone74%1,392
Carpool11%†209
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home13%†254
Other1.5%†29

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−19.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,630 workers (±374)

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under 15 min48%†788
15–29 min18%†301
30–44 min24%†386

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Bristol County, the county holding most of Ocean Grove's residents.

Bristol County has 13,221 employer establishments, 226 for every 10,000 residents (0.91× the US rate of 248; 0.87× Massachusetts's), with 201,320 paid employees at an average annual pay of $59,037. The Census Bureau also counts 44,408 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 13,221; 44,408 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 226; US 248 · Massachusetts 260
Paid employees: 201,320
Average annual pay: $59,037; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Bristol County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	1,227	20.9	1.35×More than typical	9,156	$81,658	3,447
Restaurants and other eating places	1,109	18.9	1.03×About typical	19,765	$24,418	183
Ambulatory health care services	852	14.5	0.70×Fewer than typical	13,249	$77,276	1,909
Services to buildings and dwellings	529	9	1.34×More than typical	2,258	$61,501	2,041
Building equipment contractors	519	8.9	1.47×More than typical	4,036	$79,727	829
Construction of buildings	475	8.1	1.07×About typical	1,880	$78,413	1,428
Full-service restaurants	450	7.7	1.00×About typical	9,314	$27,856	68
Lessors of real estate	444	7.6	0.61×Fewer than typical	1,350	$52,222	4,312
Limited-service restaurants	428	7.3	0.91×About typical	7,123	$21,987	85
Automotive repair and maintenance	352	6	1.19×About typical	1,678	$53,066	483
Landscaping services	343	5.9	1.67×More than typical	1,065	$86,787	561
Personal care services	335	5.7	1.20×About typical	1,593	$27,877	2,205

Rank places for an industry Open Bristol County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 586,182 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $6,548 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Ocean Grove, Massachusetts: $1.90 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $6,548; −41% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1.90; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Navy$6,548100%

Top recipients

TRUE MACHINE CO.$6,548100%

Spending by fiscal year

2.5KFY2017
4.6KFY2018
1.2KFY2019
1.4KFY2020
4.4KFY2023
1.9KFY2024
11KFY2025
6.5KFY2026

Top industries (NAICS)

Architectural and structural metals manufacturing · 3323$6,548100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Ocean Grove, Massachusetts, so they do not add up across cities.

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts's figures are part of those of Bristol County, MA ($103.7M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Ocean Grove is mostly in Bristol County.

See federal money in Bristol County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Ocean Grove, Massachusetts is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Bristol County72100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA80

Other cities and towns in Bristol County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2550880

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends