02130 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02130
02136
Opportunity
69 · Top 22%
vs63 · Top 33%
Growth
52 · Top 48%
vs52 · Top 48%
Climate
65 · Bottom 37%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 24%
vs60 · Bottom 23%
Schools
53 · Top 48%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
73 · Top 24%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 02130 | 02136 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,055 | 37,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $131,551 | $96,737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $77,480 | $44,254 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,315/sq mi | 8,105/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $822,300 | $578,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,426 | $1,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.5% | 53.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.0% | 35.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,086 | 2,086 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 21.2% | 21.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 53.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 36.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.41 | 10.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.3% | 10.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.2% | 27.3% | 2019-20 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
02130
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
02136
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 02130 — Boston, MA · 02136 — Boston, MA · How this is calculated: methodology