PlainZIP

Lexington, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02421

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

17,342
680/sq mi
$227,813
Median income
$1,205,700
Median home value
83.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lexington pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 1%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 1%
home value, US ZIPs
680
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02421 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02421 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, home to 17,342 residents across 25.5 square miles, a density of 680 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02421 skews affluent, with a median household income of $227,813 (97% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $112,662. Local economic indicators show a 6.4% poverty rate alongside 2.4% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $1,205,700 (101% above the state average) with median rent at $2,948 per month, and 75.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 83.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.2, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Middlesex County, so you can benchmark 02421 against its immediate geography rather than a national average 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 02421

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lexington, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02421.

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 02421, Lexington, 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

17,342

Population

25.5

Area (sq mi)

680

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 02421?

48.2

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

37.5%

Foreign-Born

White 55.5%
African American 1.4%
Asian 35.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%

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?

$227,813

Median Household Income

+97% vs state

$112,662

Per Capita Income

6.4%

Poverty Rate

2.4%

Unemployment Rate

31.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02421 ranks nationally

Lexington, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$227,813 Top 1% higher than 99% 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%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. 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 88.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 83.2%

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

What does housing look like?

6,903

Total Housing Units

6,824

Occupied Units

79

Vacant Units

2.61

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.9%
Renter 24.1%

$1,205,700

Median Home Value

+101% vs state

$2,948

Median Rent

1967

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

+5.0%

YoY Change (2024)

265

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+165%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02421 have increased 5.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +165% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -2.8% 199
2021 +3.8% 207
2022 +1.9% 211
2023 +19.9% 252
2024 +5.0% 265

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 582 business establishments in ZIP 02421, employing approximately 20,781 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,470,654,000.

582

Businesses

20,781

Employees

$3.5B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 175 30.1%
Health care and social assistance 91 15.6%
Other services (except public administration) 50 8.6%
Accommodation and food services 39 6.7%
Retail trade 32 5.5%
Finance and insurance 28 4.8%
Construction 27 4.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 4.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 23 4.0%
Educational services 22 3.8%
Wholesale trade 21 3.6%
Information 15 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 2.6%
Manufacturing 10 1.7%
Transportation and warehousing 6 1.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.7%

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 02421 vs 02420 →

ZIP 02421 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 02421 ranks #5 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 02421 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 02421 ranks #2 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
02420 Lexington, MA 14,052 1.7 mi
02451 Waltham, MA 17,426 2.9 mi
01731 Hanscom Afb, MA 1,396 2.4 mi
02452 Waltham, MA 14,238 3.3 mi
02453 Waltham, MA 28,968 4.8 mi
01773 Lincoln, MA 5,112 3.7 mi
02476 Arlington, MA 16,532 3.6 mi
01730 Bedford, MA 13,221 4.5 mi
01803 Burlington, MA 24,487 4.8 mi
02474 Arlington, MA 26,312 4.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Middlesex County

02148 standard
Malden, MA
Pop: 59,503
02155 standard
Medford, MA
Pop: 57,964
02149 standard
Everett, MA
Pop: 41,550
01801 standard
Woburn, MA
Pop: 38,903
01752 standard
Marlborough, MA
Pop: 38,499
01702 standard
Framingham, MA
Pop: 37,206

Related Areas

Middlesex County Lexington, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02421 in? ▼
ZIP code 02421 (Lexington) 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 02421? ▼
ZIP code 02421 in Lexington, MA has a population of 17,342 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02421? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02421 is $227,813, which is 199% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02421? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02421 is $1,205,700, which is 333% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02421? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02421 is White at 55.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02421? ▼
ZIP code 02421 has 582 business establishments employing approximately 20,781 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02421? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02421 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (175), Health care and social assistance (91), Other services (except public administration) (50). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02421? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02421 increased by 5.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 165%. 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 02421? ▼
In ZIP code 02421, 88.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 83.2% 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 02421? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02421 is 31.4 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 02421? ▼
In ZIP code 02421, approximately 75.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02421? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02421 is 6.4% 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.