Population 18,083 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 02421
Household size in ZIP 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.67 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 02421 average 2.67 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area overall, where it has 2.55 people. Household size has crept up from 2.59 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.2 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.6 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.6, ZIP 02421 is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 45.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the east.
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 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in ZIP 02421: 8.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 02421
Renters in ZIP 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.7% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in ZIP 02421 rent their homes (25.3%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over four in ten owners (42.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has edged up 1.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 2.3% of homes in ZIP 02421 are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.8 points, mirroring the country. Only 18 of the 343 Massachusetts ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
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 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 02421 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the east.
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 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,715 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,576 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,194 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,772 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,057 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 02421 costs $2,772 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,057 a month from 2006–10, a 62% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 32.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the east.
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 02421
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.1% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 78.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 82.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in ZIP 02421: 82.5% 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 4.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 343 Massachusetts ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 20 have a higher share of college graduates.
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 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.6% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.2% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.5% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in ZIP 02421: 95.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 02421
| Period | ZIP 02421 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in ZIP 02421 has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only 25 of the 343 Massachusetts ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have lower unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.1 points, as it has nationally.
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 02421 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 02421 | 2.67 | 48.6 | 8.2% | 25.3% | 2.3% | 1968 | $2,772 | 82.5% | 95.7% | 2.3% |
| ZIP 02420 | 2.85 | 46.3 | 5.8% | 12.5% | 4.3% | 1964 | $3,033 | 85.5% | 98.0% | 3.4% |
| ZIP 01731 | 2.97 | 25.7 | 16.4% | 99.4% | 6.4% | 1974 | $3,376 | 36.4% | 100.0% | 0.8% |
| ZIP 02451 | 2.29 | 41.7 | 5.6% | 40.8% | 5.7% | 1963 | $2,242 | 57.8% | 95.1% | 3.7% |
| ZIP 02452 | 2.10 | 37.5 | 7.8% | 48.4% | 5.3% | 1976 | $2,268 | 54.3% | 90.3% | 3.7% |
| ZIP 02476 | 2.40 | 46.8 | 4.7% | 34.0% | 5.8% | 1946 | $1,928 | 77.3% | 96.8% | 2.2% |
| ZIP 01773 | 2.37 | 53.4 | 6.4% | 23.3% | 8.9% | 1973 | $2,798 | 88.9% | 97.4% | 2.8% |
| ZIP 02474 | 2.43 | 40.2 | 5.5% | 41.0% | 5.4% | 1947 | $2,116 | 76.7% | 98.8% | 3.2% |
| ZIP 02478 | 2.61 | 44.3 | 7.2% | 35.2% | 5.8% | 1946 | $2,489 | 80.9% | 97.7% | 4.5% |
| ZIP 02453 | 2.29 | 35.2 | 8.1% | 56.7% | 5.6% | 1959 | $2,209 | 60.6% | 92.2% | 4.1% |
| ZIP 01890 | 2.82 | 43.4 | 6.6% | 18.3% | 3.0% | 1952 | $2,570 | 79.9% | 97.0% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 76234, TX · 33635, FL · 70582, LA · 14830, NY · 06468, CT · 30009, GA · 29671, SC · 85739, AZ · 18603, PA · 18235, PA
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 02421. 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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