PlainZIP

Dorchester Center, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02124

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

47,783
6,159/sq mi
$81,923
Median income
$650,700
Median home value
31.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Dorchester Center pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 36%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 8%
home value, US ZIPs
6,159
people per sq mi
41%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02124 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02124 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Dorchester Center, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, with 47,783 residents across 7.8 square miles, a density of 6,159 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02124 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $81,923 (29% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $41,235. 17.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 8.0%. Median home value sits at $650,700 (9% above the state average), median rent at $1,684 a month, and owner-occupancy at 41.4%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.9, and the average commute is 35 minutes. To put 02124 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 02124

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dorchester Center, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02124.

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 02124, Dorchester Center, 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

47,783

Population

7.8

Area (sq mi)

6,159

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 02124?

36.9

Median Age

47.5%

Male

52.5%

Female

33.2%

Foreign-Born

White 18.5%
African American 45.9%
Asian 8.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 20.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.5%

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?

$81,923

Median Household Income

-29% vs state

$41,235

Per Capita Income

17.0%

Poverty Rate

8.0%

Unemployment Rate

35.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02124 ranks nationally

Dorchester Center, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$81,923 Top 36% higher than 64% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 57.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.6%

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

What does housing look like?

21,365

Total Housing Units

20,287

Occupied Units

1,078

Vacant Units

2.74

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 41.4%
Renter 58.6%

$650,700

Median Home Value

+9% vs state

$1,684

Median Rent

1938

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

+7.3%

YoY Change (2024)

352

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+252%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02124 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +252% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.0% 283
2021 +5.6% 299
2022 +15.5% 345
2023 -5.1% 328
2024 +7.3% 352

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 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 597 business establishments in ZIP 02124, employing approximately 5,592 people with a combined annual payroll of $267,906,000.

597

Businesses

5,592

Employees

$267.9M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 111 18.6%
Health care and social assistance 107 17.9%
Retail trade 91 15.2%
Construction 56 9.4%
Accommodation and food services 49 8.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 41 6.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 31 5.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 5.0%
Transportation and warehousing 19 3.2%
Finance and insurance 19 3.2%
Educational services 18 3.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 1.7%
Manufacturing 6 1.0%
Wholesale trade 4 0.7%
Information 3 0.5%

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 02124 vs 02126 →

ZIP 02124 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 02124 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 02124 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 02124 ranks #8 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
02126 Mattapan, MA 25,562 1.4 mi
02121 Dorchester, MA 25,978 1.6 mi
02125 Dorchester, MA 33,295 2.2 mi
02171 Quincy, MA 17,711 2.4 mi
02122 Dorchester, MA 23,479 2.2 mi
02119 Roxbury, MA 25,346 2.7 mi
02118 Boston, MA 26,498 3.6 mi
02131 Roslindale, MA 29,826 2.8 mi
02186 Milton, MA 27,003 3.1 mi
02130 Jamaica Plain, MA 35,401 2.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Suffolk County

02151 standard
Revere, MA
Pop: 51,808
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
02125 standard
Dorchester, MA
Pop: 33,295

Related Areas

Suffolk County Dorchester Center, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02124 in? ▼
ZIP code 02124 (Dorchester Center) 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 02124? ▼
ZIP code 02124 in Dorchester Center, MA has a population of 47,783 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02124? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02124 is $81,923, which is 7% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02124? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02124 is $650,700, which is 134% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02124? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02124 is African American at 45.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 19.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02124? ▼
ZIP code 02124 has 597 business establishments employing approximately 5,592 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02124? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02124 are: Other services (except public administration) (111), Health care and social assistance (107), Retail trade (91). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02124? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02124 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 252%. 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 02124? ▼
In ZIP code 02124, 57.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.6% 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 02124? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02124 is 35.2 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 02124? ▼
In ZIP code 02124, approximately 41.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 58.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02124? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02124 is 17.0% 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.