02139 and 02171 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
02139
02171
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs68 · Top 24%
Growth
60 · Top 33%
vs69 · Top 17%
Climate
65 · Bottom 37%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs92 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 10%
vs51 · Bottom 13%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs68 · Top 30%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs71 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 02139 | 02171 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,033 | 20,164 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $134,586 | $106,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $74,801 | $65,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 25,794/sq mi | 8,220/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,087,500 | $662,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,691 | $2,388 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 32.2% | 52.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.5% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 337 | 290 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 361.6% | 544.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 37.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.0 | 40.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.85 | 14.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.5% | 41.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.8% | 48.7% | 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
02139
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
02171
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 02139 — Cambridge, MA · 02171 — Quincy, MA · How this is calculated: methodology