02143 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01801
02143
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs73 · Top 16%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 20%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
98 · Top 22%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
79 · Top 13%
vs76 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 01801 | 02143 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,939 | 25,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,185 | $130,753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,435 | $80,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,300/sq mi | 16,524/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $673,500 | $926,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,221 | $2,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.7% | 31.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.5% | 75.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 97 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.9% | 11.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 32.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.16 | 11.22 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
01801
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
02143
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 01801 — Woburn, MA · 02143 — Somerville, MA · How this is calculated: methodology