PlainZIP

Boston, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02116

Suffolk County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

20,628
12,632/sq mi
$126,496
Median income
$1,562,500
Median home value
77.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Boston pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a densely urban, renter-heavy area.

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 1%
home value, US ZIPs
12,632
people per sq mi
35%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02116 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02116 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, with 20,628 residents across 1.6 square miles, a density of 12,632 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02116 skews affluent, with a median household income of $126,496 (9% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $128,518. 16.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.2%. The typical home here is valued at $1,562,500 (161% above the state average); renters pay a median of $2,375 monthly, and 35.0% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 77.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.5, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 02116 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Suffolk County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 02116

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Boston, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02116.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 02116, Boston, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

20,628

Population

1.6

Area (sq mi)

12,632

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 02116?

34.5

Median Age

45.0%

Male

55.0%

Female

21.4%

Foreign-Born

White 66.1%
African American 5.9%
Asian 15.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$126,496

Median Household Income

+9% vs state

$128,518

Per Capita Income

16.6%

Poverty Rate

5.2%

Unemployment Rate

24.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02116 ranks nationally

Boston, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$126,496 Top 8% higher than 92% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 86.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 77.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

14,152

Total Housing Units

11,513

Occupied Units

2,639

Vacant Units

1.62

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 35.0%
Renter 65.0%

$1,562,500

Median Home Value

+161% vs state

$2,375

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 2,062 business establishments in ZIP 02116, employing approximately 81,339 people with a combined annual payroll of $11,823,183,000.

2,062

Businesses

81,339

Employees

$11.8B

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 382 18.5%
Other services (except public administration) 261 12.7%
Retail trade 259 12.6%
Finance and insurance 246 11.9%
Accommodation and food services 219 10.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 189 9.2%
Health care and social assistance 170 8.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 84 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 59 2.9%
Information 52 2.5%
Educational services 35 1.7%
Construction 27 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 22 1.1%
Wholesale trade 21 1.0%
Transportation and warehousing 15 0.7%
Utilities 7 0.3%
Manufacturing 7 0.3%
Industries not classified 6 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 02116 vs 02199 →

ZIP 02116 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 02116 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 02116 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 02116 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
02199 Boston, MA 1,146 0.4 mi
02111 Boston, MA 7,383 0.8 mi
02118 Boston, MA 26,498 0.9 mi
02108 Boston, MA 3,825 0.7 mi
02142 Cambridge, MA 3,141 0.8 mi
02114 Boston, MA 11,999 1.0 mi
02141 Cambridge, MA 11,910 1.4 mi
02203 Boston, MA 0 1.1 mi
02115 Boston, MA 28,441 1.2 mi
02215 Boston, MA 26,125 1.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Suffolk County

02151 standard
Revere, MA
Pop: 51,808
02124 standard
Dorchester Center, MA
Pop: 47,783
02135 standard
Brighton, MA
Pop: 42,780
02128 standard
East Boston, MA
Pop: 40,508
02130 standard
Jamaica Plain, MA
Pop: 35,401
02150 standard
Chelsea, MA
Pop: 35,124

Related Areas

Suffolk County Boston, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02116 in? ▼
ZIP code 02116 (Boston) is located in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Suffolk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/suffolk-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 02116? ▼
ZIP code 02116 in Boston, MA has a population of 20,628 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02116? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02116 is $126,496, which is 66% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02116? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02116 is $1,562,500, which is 462% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02116? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02116 is White at 66.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02116? ▼
ZIP code 02116 has 2,062 business establishments employing approximately 81,339 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02116? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02116 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (382), Other services (except public administration) (261), Retail trade (259). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 02116? ▼
In ZIP code 02116, 86.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 77.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 02116? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02116 is 24.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 02116? ▼
In ZIP code 02116, approximately 35.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 65.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02116? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02116 is 16.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.