ZIP Code 02472: Population, Income, Housing

State: MA
Total population: 35,620 Household income: $126,336 Rent: $2,498

Overview

Total population
35,620
Rent
$2,498
Year built
1947
Household income
$126,336
Per capita income
$73,788
Poverty rate
7.5%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.2 persons
Rent over 30% of income
41.2%

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
Watertown Town
Total population
35,620
Adults over 25
28,515
Total households
16,399
Household size
2.2 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).

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.

Income & Poverty

Household income
$126,336
Per capita income
$73,788
Poverty rate
7.5%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
41.2%

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.

Housing

Rent
$2,498
Year built
1947
Households that rent
52.4%
Households that own
47.6%
Rooms per home (all homes)
5.1

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).

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.

Race

White
71.3%
Black
3.8%
Asian
11.7%
Two or more races
9.1%

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).

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.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
6%
Not Hispanic or Latino
94%

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.

Commute

Commute rate
14,842 (71%)
Commute time to work
28 mins
Work from home
6,060 (29%)

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.

Education

Less than high school
13.8%
High school graduate or GED
13.7%
Some college or associate degree
5.9%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
66.5%

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.

 

Comparison of ZIP Code 02472 with: Middlesex County, MA Boston metro area, MA-NH Massachusetts United States

ZIP 02472

Total population35,620
Rent$2,498
Year built1947
Household income$126,336
Per capita income$73,788
Poverty rate7.5%
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%

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 ZIP02472 CountyMiddlesex, MAMetro AreaBoston metro area, MA-NHStateMassachusettsCountryUnited States
Total population35,6201,638,3654,953,3547,044,056334,922,499
Rent$2,498$2,201$2,023$1,762$1,413
Year built19471962196419641980
Household income$126,336$130,847$115,863$103,960$80,734
Per capita income$73,788$69,556$63,282$57,897$44,673
Poverty rate7.5%7.7%8.9%10%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A3.7%3.7%4%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

Loading...

 

Summary for 02472

Rent & Income

In 02472, the typical monthly rent is $2,498 and the typical household income is $126,336. Rent here is higher than Massachusetts, and household income is higher than Massachusetts. The estimated poverty rate is 7.5%.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 52.4% of households, indicating a relatively balanced mix of renters and owners. About 41.2% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 66.5% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

ZIP 02472 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 02472 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 02472 compares in Massachusetts (62 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $2,498 57 / 62 from lower rent $1,021 – $2,873
Household income $126,336 14 / 62 from higher income $48,415 – $172,606
Poverty rate 7.5% 10 / 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 02472

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 02472 places 57th out of 62 ZIP Codes in Massachusetts. Throughout Massachusetts, numbers span from $1,021 in ZIP 01040 up to $2,873 in ZIP 02446.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 14th out of 62 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $48,415 in ZIP 01109 up to $172,606 in ZIP 01810.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 02472 comes 10th out of 62 ZIP Codes. In Massachusetts as a whole, the range goes from 2.9% in ZIP 01810 up to 30.5% in ZIP 01610.

 

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 02472 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $2,498 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 02472

Annual Household Income: $126,336

💡 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 02472

Estimated Rate: 7.5%

💡 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 02472

In ZIP Code 02472, households that rent: 8,585 (52.4%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 8,585 52.4%
Owner-Occupied 7,814 47.6%

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 02472

In ZIP Code 02472, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 3,538 (41.2%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 3,538 41.2%
Other renter households 5,047 58.8%
Total renter households 8,585 100%

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 02472

Less than High School: 3,935 people (13.8%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 3,919 people (13.7%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 1,695 people (5.9%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 18,966 people (66.5%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 28,515

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.