Population 27,201 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 02478
Household size in ZIP 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 02478 average 2.61 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has climbed from 2.51 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 02478 skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 42.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in ZIP 02478: 7.2% 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 02478
Renters in ZIP 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.1% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.4% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.2% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in ZIP 02478 is about as common as it is nationally: 35.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Boston area overall (38.4%). Among owners, 33.5% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 1.3 points from 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 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in ZIP 02478 than nationally: 5.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1943 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1946 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 02478 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1946, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1942 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south. Only 20 of the 343 Massachusetts ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,473 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,566 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,994 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,489 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,016 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 02478 costs $2,489 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,016 a month since 2006–10, up 69%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southeast.
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 02478
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.0% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 71.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 76.0% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 80.9% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
ZIP 02478 is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (80.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 11.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 343 Massachusetts ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 24 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 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.8% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.1% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in ZIP 02478: 97.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. ZIP 02478 has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Massachusetts ZIP codes.
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 02478
| Period | ZIP 02478 | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 02478 runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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 02478 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 02478 | 2.61 | 44.3 | 7.2% | 35.2% | 5.8% | 1946 | $2,489 | 80.9% | 97.7% | 4.5% |
| ZIP 02472 | 2.18 | 40.8 | 5.7% | 52.2% | 5.9% | 1952 | $2,543 | 66.5% | 94.5% | 4.8% |
| ZIP 02476 | 2.40 | 46.8 | 4.7% | 34.0% | 5.8% | 1946 | $1,928 | 77.3% | 96.8% | 2.2% |
| ZIP 02474 | 2.43 | 40.2 | 5.5% | 41.0% | 5.4% | 1947 | $2,116 | 76.7% | 98.8% | 3.2% |
| ZIP 02140 | 2.16 | 34.7 | 6.1% | 65.2% | 11.2% | 1960 | $2,608 | 77.8% | 94.9% | 2.4% |
| ZIP 02452 | 2.10 | 37.5 | 7.8% | 48.4% | 5.3% | 1976 | $2,268 | 54.3% | 90.3% | 3.7% |
| ZIP 02458 | 2.54 | 39.6 | 7.2% | 41.5% | 7.3% | 1942 | $2,335 | 75.4% | 95.7% | 4.3% |
| ZIP 02138 | 2.03 | 32.7 | 4.2% | 58.0% | 14.1% | 1951 | $2,786 | 84.8% | 98.7% | 3.3% |
| ZIP 02144 | 2.26 | 32.2 | 2.8% | 63.9% | 6.8% | 1941 | $2,685 | 76.2% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| ZIP 02460 | 2.61 | 44.6 | 4.7% | 42.2% | 6.4% | 1941 | $2,744 | 81.6% | 98.4% | 3.3% |
| ZIP 02135 | 2.02 | 32.0 | 6.3% | 76.3% | 6.7% | 1955 | $2,207 | 72.3% | 93.1% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 98116, WA · 34747, FL · 44515, OH · 75212, TX · 78332, TX · 01002, MA · 66801, KS · 06880, CT · 12205, NY · 34769, FL
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 02478. 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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