ZIP Code 02131: Population, Income, Housing

State: MA

Total population: 31,151 Household income: $111,006 Rent: $2,020

Overview

Total population

31,151

Rent

$2,020

Year built

1938

Household income

$111,006

Per capita income

$59,973

Poverty rate

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.4 persons

Rent over 30% of income

44.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Massachusetts

County

Suffolk County

City

Boston

Total population

31,151

Adults over 25

23,425

Total households

12,694

Household size

2.4 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$111,006

Per capita income

$59,973

Poverty rate

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

44.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$2,020

Year built

1938

Households that rent

40.7%

Households that own

59.3%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.4

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

51.1%

Black

19.9%

Asian

3.9%

Two or more races

15.1%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

21.6%

Not Hispanic or Latino

78.4%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

12,982 (76.6%)

Commute time to work

33 mins

Work from home

3,960 (23.4%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

18.4%

High school graduate or GED

19.9%

Some college or associate degree

7.8%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

53.9%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 02131 with: Suffolk County, MA Boston, MA Boston metro area, MA-NH Massachusetts United States

ZIP 02131

Total population31,151

Rent$2,020

Year built1938

Household income$111,006

Per capita income$59,973

Poverty rate9%

Unemployment rateN/A

Suffolk County, MA

Total population785,121

Rent$2,129

Year built1949

Household income$95,631

Per capita income$58,636

Poverty rate16.2%

Unemployment rate4%

Boston, MA

Total population666,442

Rent$2,147

Year built1947

Household income$97,344

Per capita income$61,698

Poverty rate16.6%

Unemployment rate3.9%

Boston Metro Area, MA-NH

Total population4,953,354

Rent$2,023

Year built1964

Household income$115,863

Per capita income$63,282

Poverty rate8.9%

Unemployment rate3.7%

Massachusetts State

Total population7,044,056

Rent$1,762

Year built1964

Household income$103,960

Per capita income$57,897

Poverty rate10%

Unemployment rate4%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP02131	CountySuffolk, MA	CityBoston, MA	Metro AreaBoston metro area, MA-NH	StateMassachusetts	CountryUnited States
Total population	31,151	785,121	666,442	4,953,354	7,044,056	334,922,499
Rent	$2,020	$2,129	$2,147	$2,023	$1,762	$1,413
Year built	1938	1949	1947	1964	1964	1980
Household income	$111,006	$95,631	$97,344	$115,863	$103,960	$80,734
Per capita income	$59,973	$58,636	$61,698	$63,282	$57,897	$44,673
Poverty rate	9%	16.2%	16.6%	8.9%	10%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	4%	3.9%	3.7%	4%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 02131

Rent & Income

In 02131, the typical monthly rent is $2,020 and the typical household income is $111,006. Rent here is lower than Boston and higher than Massachusetts, and household income is higher than both Boston and Massachusetts. The estimated poverty rate is 9%, which is lower than in both Boston and Massachusetts.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 40.7% of households. About 44.6% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 53.9% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 02131 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 02131 — Poverty

How ZIP 02131 compares in Massachusetts (62 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$2,020	37 / 62	from lower rent	$1,021 – $2,873
Household income	$111,006	22 / 62	from higher income	$48,415 – $172,606
Poverty rate	9%	20 / 62	from lower poverty	2.9% – 30.5%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Massachusetts with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 02131

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 37th out of 62 ZIP Codes in Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, figures vary from $1,021 in ZIP 01040 up to $2,873 in ZIP 02446.

Household income

When comparing household incomes, ZIP Code 02131 stands 22nd out of 62 ZIP Codes. Throughout Massachusetts, numbers span from $48,415 in ZIP 01109 up to $172,606 in ZIP 01810.

Poverty rate

Looking at poverty indicators, this ZIP stands 20th out of 62 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from 2.9% in ZIP 01810 up to 30.5% in ZIP 01610.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 02131 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $2,020 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 02131

Annual Household Income: $111,006

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 02131

Estimated Rate: 9%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 02131

In ZIP Code 02131, households that rent: 5,165 (40.7%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	5,165	40.7%
Owner-Occupied	7,529	59.3%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 02131

In ZIP Code 02131, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 2,304 (44.6%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	2,304	44.6%
Other renter households	2,861	55.4%
Total renter households	5,165	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 02131

Less than High School: 4,305 people (18.4%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 4,663 people (19.9%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 1,835 people (7.8%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 12,622 people (53.9%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 23,425

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.