02136 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02136
02128
Opportunity
64 · Top 30%
vs63 · Top 32%
Growth
50 · Top 50%
vs50 · Top 50%
Climate
62 · Bottom 25%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 1%
vs97 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 28%
vs42 · Bottom 9%
Access
99 · Top 19%
vs99 · Top 19%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs61 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 02136 | 02128 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,265 | 43,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,737 | $90,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,254 | $49,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,105/sq mi | 8,626/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $578,400 | $668,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,869 | $2,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 29.0% | 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 | 35.8% | 38.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 15.7% | 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 | 19°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 0 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.9 min | 34.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
02136
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
02128
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 02136 — Boston, MA · 02128 — Boston, MA · How this is calculated: methodology