02171 and 02472 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
02171
02472
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs73 · Top 16%
Growth
69 · Top 17%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
65 · Bottom 37%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 8%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 13%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Schools
68 · Top 30%
vs68 · Top 29%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
71 · Top 29%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 02171 | 02472 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,164 | 35,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,885 | $126,336 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,500 | $73,788 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,220/sq mi | 8,839/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $662,900 | $784,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,388 | $2,498 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.1% | 47.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.8% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 290 | 337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 544.4% | 361.6% | 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 | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.4 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.87 | 10.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.8% | 32.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.7% | 47.7% | 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
02171
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
02472
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 02171 — Quincy, MA · 02472 — Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology