ZIP Code 02138: Population, Income, Housing

State: MA

Total population: 38,509 Household income: $119,967 Rent: $2,772

Overview

Total population

38,509

Rent

$2,772

Year built

1938

Household income

$119,967

Per capita income

$75,496

Poverty rate

13.5%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.0 persons

Rent over 30% of income

48.2%

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

Middlesex County

City

Cambridge

Total population

38,509

Adults over 25

22,610

Total households

14,169

Household size

2.0 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

$119,967

Per capita income

$75,496

Poverty rate

13.5%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

48.2%

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

$2,772

Year built

1938

Households that rent

58.1%

Households that own

41.9%

Rooms per home (all homes)

4.4

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

60.8%

Black

Asian

17.2%

Two or more races

12.1%

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

10%

Not Hispanic or Latino

90%

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

13,539 (68.3%)

Commute time to work

24 mins

Work from home

6,284 (31.7%)

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

8.3%

High school graduate or GED

3.7%

Some college or associate degree

2.3%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

85.6%

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).

Comparison of ZIP Code 02138 with: Middlesex County, MA Cambridge, MA Boston metro area, MA-NH Massachusetts United States

ZIP 02138

Total population38,509

Rent$2,772

Year built1938

Household income$119,967

Per capita income$75,496

Poverty rate13.5%

Unemployment rateN/A

Middlesex County, MA

Total population1,638,365

Rent$2,201

Year built1962

Household income$130,847

Per capita income$69,556

Poverty rate7.7%

Unemployment rate3.7%

Cambridge, MA

Total population118,796

Rent$2,787

Year built1950

Household income$130,748

Per capita income$78,723

Poverty rate12.8%

Unemployment rate3.2%

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	ZIP02138	CountyMiddlesex, MA	CityCambridge, MA	Metro AreaBoston metro area, MA-NH	StateMassachusetts	CountryUnited States
Total population	38,509	1,638,365	118,796	4,953,354	7,044,056	334,922,499
Rent	$2,772	$2,201	$2,787	$2,023	$1,762	$1,413
Year built	1938	1962	1950	1964	1964	1980
Household income	$119,967	$130,847	$130,748	$115,863	$103,960	$80,734
Per capita income	$75,496	$69,556	$78,723	$63,282	$57,897	$44,673
Poverty rate	13.5%	7.7%	12.8%	8.9%	10%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3.7%	3.2%	3.7%	4%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 02138

Rent & Income

In 02138, the typical monthly rent is $2,772 and the typical household income is $119,967. Rent here is similar to Cambridge and higher than Massachusetts, and household income is lower than Cambridge and higher than Massachusetts. The estimated poverty rate is 13.5%, which is higher than in both Cambridge and Massachusetts.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 58.1% of households, making this a predominantly renter area. About 48.2% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 85.6% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 02138 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 02138 — Poverty

How ZIP 02138 compares in Massachusetts (62 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$2,772	61 / 62	from lower rent	$1,021 – $2,873
Household income	$119,967	16 / 62	from higher income	$48,415 – $172,606
Poverty rate	13.5%	38 / 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 02138

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 61st out of 62 ZIP Codes in Massachusetts. At the state level, values extend from $1,021 in ZIP 01040 up to $2,873 in ZIP 02446.

Household income

Looking at income levels, ZIP Code 02138 holds the 16th out of 62 ZIP Codes. In Massachusetts as a whole, the range goes from $48,415 in ZIP 01109 up to $172,606 in ZIP 01810.

Poverty rate

Regarding poverty rate, ZIP Code 02138 ranks 38th out of 62 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from 2.9% in ZIP 01810 up to 30.5% in ZIP 01610.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 02138 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $2,772 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 02138

Annual Household Income: $119,967

💡 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 02138

Estimated Rate: 13.5%

💡 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 02138

In ZIP Code 02138, households that rent: 8,232 (58.1%)

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

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	8,232	58.1%
Owner-Occupied	5,937	41.9%

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 02138

In ZIP Code 02138, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 3,965 (48.2%)

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

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	3,965	48.2%
Other renter households	4,267	51.8%
Total renter households	8,232	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 02138

Less than High School: 1,887 people (8.3%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 842 people (3.7%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 531 people (2.3%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 19,350 people (85.6%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 22,610

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.