02125 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02150
02125
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Top 36%
Growth
50 · Top 50%
vs52 · Top 48%
Climate
65 · Bottom 37%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
35 · Bottom 4%
vs38 · Bottom 5%
Schools
26 · Bottom 18%
vs40 · Bottom 36%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 44%
vs51 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 02150 | 02125 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,908 | 33,662 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,179 | $82,953 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,986 | $47,203 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 18,025/sq mi | 15,527/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $493,500 | $657,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,956 | $1,949 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 26.0% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 43.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 23.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 80 | 2,086 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 15.9% | 21.2% | 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 | 3 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.18 | 10.96 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.7% | 17.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.8% | 31.6% | 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
02150
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
02125
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 02150 — Chelsea, MA · 02125 — Boston, MA · How this is calculated: methodology