Cambridge, MA · standard
ZIP Code 02142
Middlesex County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,141
- 4,363/sq mi High-density area
- $147,723
- Median income Above-median income area
- $1,954,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 89.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cambridge pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.
- Top 4%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 1%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 4,363
- people per sq mi
- 7%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02142 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 02142 covers 0.7 square miles in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,141 residents on file, a density of 4,363 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 02142 skews affluent, with a median household income of $147,723 (28% above the average Massachusetts ZIP), while per-capita income is $99,370. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 7.5% and unemployment is 2.2%. Housing costs run above the statewide ZIP benchmark while renting is common: median home value is $1,954,500 (226% above the average Massachusetts ZIP), with only 6.9% owner-occupied homes and median rent of $3,501.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 89.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Middlesex County, so 02142 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 02142
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cambridge, MA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02142.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
291 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 55
Accommodation and food services
55 establishments
- Information 39
Information
39 establishments
- Finance and insurance 36
Finance and insurance
36 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 32
Other services (except public administration)
32 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 02142, Cambridge, 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
3,141
Population
0.7
Area (sq mi)
4,363
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 02142?
30.9
Median Age
53.4%
Male
46.6%
Female
39.9%
Foreign-Born
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?
$147,723
Median Household Income
+28% vs state ZIP avg
$99,370
Per Capita Income
7.5%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
23.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 02142 ranks among Massachusetts ZIPs
Cambridge, MA household income vs. every Massachusetts ZIP code
Median household income among 505 reporting Massachusetts ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$147,723 Top 18% higher than 82% of 505 Massachusetts ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Massachusetts 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,535housing units
2,535
Total Housing Units
2,153
Occupied Units
382
Vacant Units
1.82
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$1,954,500
Median Home Value
+226% vs state ZIP avg
$3,501
Median Rent
2005
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 604 business establishments in ZIP 02142, employing approximately 31,327 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,458,214,000.
604
Businesses
31,327
Employees
$7.5B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 291 | 48.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 55 | 9.1% |
| Information | 39 | 6.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 36 | 6.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 32 | 5.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 31 | 5.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 25 | 4.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 22 | 3.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 18 | 3.0% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 2.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 11 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 9 | 1.5% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 1.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 6 | 1.0% |
| Construction | 3 | 0.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 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 02142 vs 02141 →
ZIP 02142 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 02139
Cambridge (02139)
36,349 residents
- 02115
Boston (02115)
28,441 residents
- 02116
Boston (02116)
20,628 residents
- 02114 11,999
Boston (02114)
11,999 residents
- 02141 11,910
Cambridge (02141)
11,910 residents
- 02113 6,915
Boston (02113)
6,915 residents
- 02108 3,825
Boston (02108)
3,825 residents
- 02109 3,771
Boston (02109)
3,771 residents
- 02142 3,141
Cambridge (02142)
3,141 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 02142 ranks #9 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 02142 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 02108
Boston (02108)
$212,928 median income
- 02109
Boston (02109)
$158,843 median income
- 02142
Cambridge (02142)
$147,723 median income
- 02139
Cambridge (02139)
$134,586 median income
- 02114
Boston (02114)
$132,210 median income
- 02141
Cambridge (02141)
$126,522 median income
- 02116
Boston (02116)
$126,496 median income
- 02199
Boston (02199)
$122,285 median income
- 02113
Boston (02113)
$113,314 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 02142 ranks #3 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02141 | Cambridge, MA | 11,910 | 0.6 mi |
| 02199 | Boston, MA | 1,146 | 1.0 mi |
| 02114 | Boston, MA | 11,999 | 0.8 mi |
| 02116 | Boston, MA | 20,628 | 0.8 mi |
| 02108 | Boston, MA | 3,825 | 0.9 mi |
| 02139 | Cambridge, MA | 36,349 | 1.1 mi |
| 02203 | Boston, MA | 0 | 1.2 mi |
| 02113 | Boston, MA | 6,915 | 1.4 mi |
| 02109 | Boston, MA | 3,771 | 1.5 mi |
| 02115 | Boston, MA | 28,441 | 1.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 02142, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (3,141 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Middlesex County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 02142 in?
ZIP code 02142 (Cambridge) is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Middlesex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/middlesex-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 02142?
ZIP code 02142 in Cambridge, MA has a population of 3,141 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02142?
The median household income in ZIP 02142 is $147,723, which is 94% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02142?
The median home value in ZIP 02142 is $1,954,500, which is 603% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02142?
The largest racial group in ZIP 02142 is White at 41.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02142?
ZIP code 02142 has 604 business establishments employing approximately 31,327 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02142?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02142 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (291), Accommodation and food services (55), Information (39). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 02142?
In ZIP code 02142, 90.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 89.4% 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 02142?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02142 is 23.1 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 02142?
In ZIP code 02142, approximately 6.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 93.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02142?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02142 is 7.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 02142's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 02142 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cambridge, MA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.