02138 and 10606 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
02138
10606
Opportunity
73 · Top 16%
vs78 · Top 10%
Growth
60 · Top 33%
vs61 · Top 31%
Climate
65 · Bottom 37%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
33 · Bottom 3%
vs50 · Bottom 13%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs89 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs58 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 02138 | 10606 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,509 | 17,341 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,967 | $112,270 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $75,496 | $64,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 14,065/sq mi | 11,685/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,212,400 | $682,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,772 | $2,561 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.9% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 85.6% | 47.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 337 | 207 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 361.6% | 1193.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 47.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.3 | 36.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.41 | 12.35 | 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
02138
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
10606
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 02138 — Cambridge, MA · 10606 — White Plains, NY · How this is calculated: methodology