Population 20,398 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 02081
Household size in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.77 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.82 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 02081 average 2.82 people, above the national 2.65, so families with children are more common here. Household size has crept up from 2.77 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. ZIP 02081 has larger households than the great majority of Massachusetts ZIP codes.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 02081 skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.7, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has dropped from 42.7 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in ZIP 02081: 5.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. ZIP 02081 has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Massachusetts ZIP codes.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 02081
Renters in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.4% of households in ZIP 02081 rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly a third of owners (32.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the northwest. The renter share has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.3% of homes in ZIP 02081 are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.6 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in ZIP 02081 are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,245 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,060 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,394 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,794 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$549 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in ZIP 02081 runs $1,794 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Boston area overall ($2,051). Rent has climbed $549 a month since 2006–10, up 44%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 02081
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.6% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.6% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.3% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.7 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in ZIP 02081: 67.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 18.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.6% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.1% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in ZIP 02081: 98.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 343 Massachusetts ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 28 have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 02081
| Period | ZIP 02081 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in ZIP 02081 is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 02081 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 02081 | 2.82 | 41.7 | 5.4% | 15.4% | 5.3% | 1979 | $1,794 | 67.3% | 98.1% | 5.3% |
| ZIP 02032 | 2.90 | 38.1 | 4.8% | 20.3% | 12.7% | 1968 | $2,493 | 68.7% | 98.4% | 4.7% |
| ZIP 02071 | 3.29 | 37.0 | 2.3% | 18.3% | 2.6% | 1979 | $1,475 | 68.5% | 97.7% | 4.8% |
| ZIP 02052 | 2.79 | 44.2 | 4.8% | 13.9% | 4.1% | 1970 | $1,995 | 77.8% | 97.4% | 4.2% |
| ZIP 02062 | 2.37 | 41.8 | 9.2% | 46.0% | 4.2% | 1961 | $1,895 | 55.2% | 93.4% | 3.7% |
| ZIP 02056 | 2.94 | 43.2 | 3.2% | 5.1% | 3.3% | 1982 | $1,915 | 68.3% | 96.2% | 4.6% |
| ZIP 02067 | 2.97 | 42.3 | 5.8% | 12.4% | 4.4% | 1971 | $2,713 | 78.1% | 98.8% | 2.8% |
| ZIP 02090 | 2.94 | 43.8 | 5.3% | 12.7% | 4.8% | 1970 | $2,600 | 72.7% | 95.6% | 1.8% |
| ZIP 02035 | 2.68 | 43.4 | 9.4% | 26.8% | 4.9% | 1975 | $1,869 | 57.9% | 96.5% | 5.4% |
| ZIP 02054 | 2.69 | 45.5 | 5.4% | 16.8% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,585 | 55.9% | 95.9% | 4.5% |
| ZIP 02021 | 2.57 | 43.1 | 10.4% | 25.1% | 3.9% | 1978 | $2,401 | 66.5% | 96.1% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
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About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 02081. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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