PlainZIP

East Boston, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02128

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

40,508
3,224/sq mi
$90,106
Median income
$668,000
Median home value
38.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

East Boston pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

Top 27%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 7%
home value, US ZIPs
3,224
people per sq mi
29%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02128 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02128 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in East Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, with 40,508 residents across 12.6 square miles, a density of 3,224 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02128 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $90,106 (22% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $49,626. 15.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 6.6%. The typical home here is valued at $668,000 (11% above the state average); renters pay a median of $2,064 monthly, and 29.0% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.5, and the average commute is 32 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Suffolk County, letting you compare 02128 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 02128

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in East Boston, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02128.

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 02128, East 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

40,508

Population

12.6

Area (sq mi)

3,224

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 02128?

34.5

Median Age

53.3%

Male

46.7%

Female

44.7%

Foreign-Born

White 39.4%
African American 4.0%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 41.8%
Hispanic or Latino 52.2%

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?

$90,106

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$49,626

Per Capita Income

15.7%

Poverty Rate

6.6%

Unemployment Rate

32.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02128 ranks nationally

East Boston, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$90,106 Top 27% higher than 73% 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 63.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.0%

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

What does housing look like?

19,193

Total Housing Units

17,736

Occupied Units

1,457

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 29.0%
Renter 71.0%

$668,000

Median Home Value

+11% vs state

$2,064

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

-0.8%

YoY Change (2024)

382

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+282%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02128 have decreased 0.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +282% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.7% 323
2021 +8.0% 349
2022 +6.2% 370
2023 +4.0% 385
2024 -0.8% 382

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 858 business establishments in ZIP 02128, employing approximately 26,928 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,774,393,000.

858

Businesses

26,928

Employees

$1.8B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 157 18.3%
Retail trade 106 12.3%
Transportation and warehousing 103 12.0%
Other services (except public administration) 94 11.0%
Construction 69 8.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 66 7.7%
Health care and social assistance 64 7.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 55 6.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 54 6.3%
Finance and insurance 23 2.7%
Wholesale trade 17 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.6%
Manufacturing 11 1.3%
Information 10 1.2%
Educational services 7 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.5%
Industries not classified 4 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 02128 vs 02152 →

ZIP 02128 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 02128 ranks #2 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 02128 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 02128 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
02152 Winthrop, MA 17,497 2.0 mi
02150 Chelsea, MA 35,124 1.8 mi
02109 Boston, MA 3,771 1.9 mi
02113 Boston, MA 6,915 2.0 mi
02210 Boston, MA 2,090 2.1 mi
02110 Boston, MA 1,733 2.1 mi
02129 Charlestown, MA 16,439 2.4 mi
02203 Boston, MA 0 2.3 mi
02151 Revere, MA 51,808 3.2 mi
02114 Boston, MA 11,999 2.7 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
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 East Boston, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02128 in? ▼
ZIP code 02128 (East 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 02128? ▼
ZIP code 02128 in East Boston, MA has a population of 40,508 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02128? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02128 is $90,106, which is 18% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02128? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02128 is $668,000, which is 140% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02128? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02128 is Two or More Ethnicities at 41.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 52.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02128? ▼
ZIP code 02128 has 858 business establishments employing approximately 26,928 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02128? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02128 are: Accommodation and food services (157), Retail trade (106), Transportation and warehousing (103). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02128? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02128 decreased by 0.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 282%. 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 02128? ▼
In ZIP code 02128, 63.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.0% 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 02128? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02128 is 32.0 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 02128? ▼
In ZIP code 02128, approximately 29.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 71.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02128? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02128 is 15.7% 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.