02131 and 02453 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
02131
02453
Opportunity
67 · Top 26%
vs66 · Top 27%
Growth
52 · Top 48%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Climate
62 · Bottom 25%
vs62 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 27%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs62 · Top 36%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs98 · Top 23%
Economic stability
75 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 02131 | 02453 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,151 | 31,591 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,006 | $115,366 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,973 | $56,697 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,173/sq mi | 8,795/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $664,700 | $705,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,020 | $2,115 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.3% | 43.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.9% | 59.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,086 | 42 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 21.2% | 90.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 42.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.6 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.95 | 9.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.2% | 27.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.9% | 42.0% | 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
02131
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
02453
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 02131 — Boston, MA · 02453 — Waltham, MA · How this is calculated: methodology