02142 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02464
02142
Opportunity
70 · Top 20%
vs74 · Top 14%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
63 · Bottom 31%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 5%
vs31 · Bottom 2%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 02464 | 02142 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,833 | 4,737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,729 | $147,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $70,396 | $99,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,956/sq mi | 15,086/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $940,200 | $1,954,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,271 | $3,501 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 6.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.6% | 89.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 159 | 337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 42.0% | 361.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.9" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 30.9 | 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
02464
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
02142
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 02464 — Newton, MA · 02142 — Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology