PlainZIP

Belmont, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02478

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

24,664
2,051/sq mi
$183,137
Median income
$1,159,000
Median home value
80.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 2%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 2%
home value, US ZIPs
2,051
people per sq mi
65%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02478 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02478 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Belmont, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with 24,664 residents across 12.0 square miles, a density of 2,051 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02478 skews affluent, with a median household income of $183,137 (58% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $95,484. The poverty rate stands at 3.6% and the unemployment rate at 4.3%. On housing, the median home value is $1,159,000 (93% above the state average) with median rent at $2,527 per month, and 64.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 80.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.9, and the average commute is 29 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Middlesex County, letting you compare 02478 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 02478

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Belmont, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02478.

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 02478, Belmont, 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

24,664

Population

12.0

Area (sq mi)

2,051

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 02478?

42.9

Median Age

48.2%

Male

51.8%

Female

26.2%

Foreign-Born

White 69.3%
African American 1.6%
Asian 19.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%

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?

$183,137

Median Household Income

+58% vs state

$95,484

Per Capita Income

3.6%

Poverty Rate

4.3%

Unemployment Rate

29.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02478 ranks nationally

Belmont, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$183,137 Top 2% higher than 98% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 88.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 80.9%

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

What does housing look like?

10,881

Total Housing Units

10,412

Occupied Units

469

Vacant Units

2.59

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.7%
Renter 35.3%

$1,159,000

Median Home Value

+93% vs state

$2,527

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

+4.9%

YoY Change (2024)

274

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+174%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02478 have increased 4.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +174% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -3.9% 206
2021 +6.3% 219
2022 +6.4% 233
2023 +12.3% 261
2024 +4.9% 274

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 623 business establishments in ZIP 02478, employing approximately 7,481 people with a combined annual payroll of $506,831,000.

623

Businesses

7,481

Employees

$506.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 97 15.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 92 14.8%
Other services (except public administration) 76 12.2%
Retail trade 62 9.9%
Accommodation and food services 60 9.6%
Construction 54 8.7%
Finance and insurance 34 5.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 31 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 31 5.0%
Educational services 25 4.0%
Wholesale trade 16 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 2.3%
Information 13 2.1%
Manufacturing 8 1.3%
Transportation and warehousing 7 1.1%
Industries not classified 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 02478 vs 02476 →

ZIP 02478 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 02478 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 02478 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 02478 ranks the highest 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
02476 Arlington, MA 16,532 1.4 mi
02472 Watertown, MA 32,014 1.8 mi
02452 Waltham, MA 14,238 2.1 mi
02474 Arlington, MA 26,312 2.0 mi
02140 Cambridge, MA 17,607 2.4 mi
02458 Newton, MA 12,131 3.0 mi
02138 Cambridge, MA 36,314 2.5 mi
02144 Somerville, MA 23,891 3.0 mi
02135 Brighton, MA 42,780 3.5 mi
02460 Newtonville, MA 8,742 3.4 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 Belmont, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02478 in? ▼
ZIP code 02478 (Belmont) 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 02478? ▼
ZIP code 02478 in Belmont, MA has a population of 24,664 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02478? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02478 is $183,137, which is 140% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02478? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02478 is $1,159,000, which is 317% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02478? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02478 is White at 69.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02478? ▼
ZIP code 02478 has 623 business establishments employing approximately 7,481 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02478? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02478 are: Health care and social assistance (97), Professional, scientific, and technical services (92), Other services (except public administration) (76). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02478? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02478 increased by 4.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 174%. 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 02478? ▼
In ZIP code 02478, 88.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 80.9% 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 02478? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02478 is 29.3 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 02478? ▼
In ZIP code 02478, approximately 64.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02478? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02478 is 3.6% 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.