Brookline, MA · standard
ZIP Code 02446
Norfolk County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 29,311
- 8,793/sq mi High-density area
- $131,963
- Median income Above-median income area
- $1,181,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 85.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Brookline pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a densely urban, renter-heavy area.
- Top 7%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 1%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 8,793
- people per sq mi
- 38%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02446 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 02446 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with 29,311 residents across 3.3 square miles, a density of 8,793 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 02446 skews affluent, with a median household income of $131,963 (14% above the average Massachusetts ZIP), while per-capita income is $90,791. The poverty rate is 9.6%, with unemployment at 4.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing costs run above the statewide ZIP benchmark while renting is common: median home value is $1,181,500 (97% above the average Massachusetts ZIP), with only 37.8% owner-occupied homes and median rent of $2,873.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 85.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.8, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Norfolk County, so 02446 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 02446
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Brookline, MA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02446.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
176 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
99 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
91 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
90 establishments
- Retail trade 62
Retail trade
62 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 02446, Brookline, 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
29,311
Population
3.3
Area (sq mi)
8,793
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 02446?
34.8
Median Age
43.7%
Male
56.3%
Female
31.8%
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?
$131,963
Median Household Income
+14% vs state ZIP avg
$90,791
Per Capita Income
9.6%
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Unemployment Rate
27.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 02446 ranks among Massachusetts ZIPs
Brookline, 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)
$131,963 Top 29% higher than 71% 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
15,409housing units
15,409
Total Housing Units
14,622
Occupied Units
787
Vacant Units
2.09
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$1,181,500
Median Home Value
+97% vs state ZIP avg
$2,873
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
-4.0%
YoY Change (2021)
184
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+84%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 02446 have decreased 4.0% over the past year (2021). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +84% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | – | 191 |
| 2021 | -4.0% | 184 |
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 2021. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 721 business establishments in ZIP 02446, employing approximately 6,447 people with a combined annual payroll of $345,144,000.
721
Businesses
6,447
Employees
$345.1M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 176 | 24.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 99 | 13.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 91 | 12.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 90 | 12.5% |
| Retail trade | 62 | 8.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 59 | 8.2% |
| Information | 30 | 4.2% |
| Educational services | 25 | 3.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 23 | 3.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 19 | 2.6% |
| Construction | 16 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 12 | 1.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 9 | 1.3% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 0.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 0.6% |
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 02446 vs 02134 →
ZIP 02446 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 02135
Brighton (02135)
42,780 residents
- 02139
Cambridge (02139)
36,349 residents
- 02130
Jamaica Plain (02130)
35,401 residents
- 02446
Brookline (02446)
29,311 residents
- 02115
Boston (02115)
28,441 residents
- 02215
Boston (02215)
26,125 residents
- 02134
Allston (02134)
21,503 residents
- 02445
Brookline (02445)
20,679 residents
- 02120 15,181
Roxbury Crossing (02120)
15,181 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 02446 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 02446 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 02445
Brookline (02445)
$139,747 median income
- 02139
Cambridge (02139)
$134,586 median income
- 02446
Brookline (02446)
$131,963 median income
- 02130
Jamaica Plain (02130)
$131,551 median income
- 02199
Boston (02199)
$122,285 median income
- 02135
Brighton (02135)
$90,829 median income
- 02163
Boston (02163)
$84,583 median income
- 02134
Allston (02134)
$78,679 median income
- 02215
Boston (02215)
$72,095 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 02446 ranks #3 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02134 | Allston, MA | 21,503 | 1.1 mi |
| 02215 | Boston, MA | 26,125 | 1.0 mi |
| 02163 | Boston, MA | 2,582 | 1.6 mi |
| 02115 | Boston, MA | 28,441 | 1.4 mi |
| 02445 | Brookline, MA | 20,679 | 1.4 mi |
| 02120 | Roxbury Crossing, MA | 15,181 | 1.5 mi |
| 02139 | Cambridge, MA | 36,349 | 1.6 mi |
| 02135 | Brighton, MA | 42,780 | 1.7 mi |
| 02130 | Jamaica Plain, MA | 35,401 | 2.4 mi |
| 02199 | Boston, MA | 1,146 | 2.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 02446, 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 (29,311 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Norfolk County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 02446 in?
ZIP code 02446 (Brookline) is located in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Norfolk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/norfolk-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 02446?
ZIP code 02446 in Brookline, MA has a population of 29,311 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02446?
The median household income in ZIP 02446 is $131,963, which is 73% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02446?
The median home value in ZIP 02446 is $1,181,500, which is 325% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02446?
The largest racial group in ZIP 02446 is White at 63.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02446?
ZIP code 02446 has 721 business establishments employing approximately 6,447 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02446?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02446 are: Health care and social assistance (176), Accommodation and food services (99), Professional, scientific, and technical services (91). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02446?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02446 decreased by 4.0% in 2021. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 84%. 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 02446?
In ZIP code 02446, 90.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 85.3% 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 02446?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02446 is 27.3 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 02446?
In ZIP code 02446, approximately 37.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 62.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02446?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02446 is 9.6% 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 02446's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 02446 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Brookline, 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.