PlainZIP

Dorchester, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02121

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

25,978
5,747/sq mi
$43,136
Median income
$590,200
Median home value
19.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Dorchester pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 10%
home value, US ZIPs
5,747
people per sq mi
23%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02121 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02121 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, with 25,978 residents across 4.5 square miles, a density of 5,747 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02121 reports a modest median household income of $43,136 (63% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $29,051. The poverty rate stands at 25.0% and the unemployment rate at 11.1%. Housing costs here run $590,200 for a typical home value (2% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,325 a month; 23.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.3, and the average commute is 37 minutes. To put 02121 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 02121

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dorchester, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02121.

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 02121, Dorchester, 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

25,978

Population

4.5

Area (sq mi)

5,747

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 02121?

34.3

Median Age

44.3%

Male

55.7%

Female

39.3%

Foreign-Born

White 7.5%
African American 44.6%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 25.7%
Hispanic or Latino 40.9%

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?

$43,136

Median Household Income

-63% vs state

$29,051

Per Capita Income

25.0%

Poverty Rate

11.1%

Unemployment Rate

36.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02121 ranks nationally

Dorchester, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$43,136 8th percentile higher than 8% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $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 51.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.9%

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

What does housing look like?

11,429

Total Housing Units

10,760

Occupied Units

669

Vacant Units

2.68

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 23.2%
Renter 76.8%

$590,200

Median Home Value

-2% vs state

$1,325

Median Rent

1944

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+9.0%

YoY Change (2022)

372

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+272%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02121 have increased 9.0% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +272% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2018 +2.2% 261
2019 +16.0% 303
2020 +9.5% 331
2021 +2.9% 341
2022 +9.0% 372

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 275 business establishments in ZIP 02121, employing approximately 2,317 people with a combined annual payroll of $112,539,000.

275

Businesses

2,317

Employees

$112.5M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 50 18.2%
Other services (except public administration) 49 17.8%
Retail trade 41 14.9%
Accommodation and food services 35 12.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 34 12.4%
Construction 16 5.8%
Transportation and warehousing 12 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 4.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 10 3.6%
Finance and insurance 4 1.4%
Educational services 4 1.4%

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 02121 vs 02119 →

ZIP 02121 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 02121 ranks #6 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 02121 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 02121 ranks #null 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
02119 Roxbury, MA 25,346 1.3 mi
02130 Jamaica Plain, MA 35,401 1.5 mi
02124 Dorchester Center, MA 47,783 1.6 mi
02120 Roxbury Crossing, MA 15,181 1.9 mi
02125 Dorchester, MA 33,295 1.7 mi
02126 Mattapan, MA 25,562 2.2 mi
02115 Boston, MA 28,441 2.5 mi
02199 Boston, MA 1,146 2.9 mi
02118 Boston, MA 26,498 2.4 mi
02116 Boston, MA 20,628 3.1 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 Dorchester, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02121 in? ▼
ZIP code 02121 (Dorchester) 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 02121? ▼
ZIP code 02121 in Dorchester, MA has a population of 25,978 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02121? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02121 is $43,136, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02121? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02121 is $590,200, which is 112% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02121? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02121 is African American at 44.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 40.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02121? ▼
ZIP code 02121 has 275 business establishments employing approximately 2,317 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02121? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02121 are: Health care and social assistance (50), Other services (except public administration) (49), Retail trade (41). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02121? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02121 increased by 9.0% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 272%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 02121? ▼
In ZIP code 02121, 51.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.9% 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 02121? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02121 is 36.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 02121? ▼
In ZIP code 02121, approximately 23.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 76.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02121? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02121 is 25.0% 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.