ZIP Code 02481

standard

Source:

Wellesley Hills · Norfolk County · Massachusetts

Population
16,244

1,112/sq mi

Median income
$250,001

▲ 228% vs US

higher than 100% of US ZIPs

Median home value
$1,694,600

▲ 509% vs US

higher than 99% of US ZIPs

Bachelor's or higher
90.6%

Median age 36.7

Land area
14.6 sq mi

New York

ZIP code 02481 in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts has a population of 16,244. The median household income is $250,001, which is 228% above the national average. Median home value is $1,694,600, 509% above the US average. 90.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

ZIP code 02481 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 14.6 square miles in Wellesley Hills, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. The area is home to 16,244 residents, producing a population density of 1,112 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 02481 against Massachusetts and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 02481 sits at $250,001 (116% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $121,763. The poverty rate stands at 2.4% and the unemployment rate at 3.9%. On housing, the median home value is $1,694,600 (183% above the state average) with median rent at $3,054 per month, and 87.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 02481 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 90.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.7, and the average commute is 28 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Norfolk County, so you can benchmark 02481 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 02481

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02481.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 02481, Wellesley Hills, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

16,244

Population

14.6

Area (sq mi)

1,112

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 02481?

36.7

Median Age

41.6%

Male

58.4%

Female

13.6%

Foreign-Born

White 70.0%
African American 2.0%
Asian 14.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%

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?

$250,001

Median Household Income

+116% vs state

$121,763

Per Capita Income

2.4%

Poverty Rate

3.9%

Unemployment Rate

27.8 min

Mean Commute Time

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

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 93.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 90.6%

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

What does housing look like?

5,217

Total Housing Units

5,111

Occupied Units

106

Vacant Units

2.92

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 87.3%
Renter 12.7%

$1,694,600

Median Home Value

+183% vs state

$3,054

Median Rent

1951

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+4.7%

YoY Change (2024)

223

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+123%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02481 have increased 4.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +123% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 -3.3% 189
2020 -1.6% 186
2021 +7.0% 199
2022 +4.7% 208
2024 223

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 719 business establishments in ZIP 02481, employing approximately 12,557 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,487,044,000.

719

Businesses

12,557

Employees

$1.5B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 187 26.0%
Health care and social assistance 139 19.3%
Finance and insurance 118 16.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 45 6.3%
Other services (except public administration) 38 5.3%
Retail trade 37 5.2%
Accommodation and food services 33 4.6%
Construction 28 3.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 23 3.2%
Wholesale trade 16 2.2%
Information 14 1.9%
Educational services 14 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 1.7%
Manufacturing 7 1.0%
Transportation and warehousing 3 0.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.4%

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 02481 vs 02457 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
02457 Babson Park, MA 1,432 1.1 mi
02462 Newton Lower Falls, MA 1,554 1.5 mi
02482 Wellesley, MA 10,306 1.9 mi
02464 Newton Upper Falls, MA 2,953 2.8 mi
02494 Needham Heights, MA 8,955 2.3 mi
02466 Auburndale, MA 8,096 2.5 mi
02468 Waban, MA 5,273 2.4 mi
02492 Needham, MA 19,931 3.0 mi
02461 Newton Highlands, MA 7,059 3.4 mi
02493 Weston, MA 11,261 3.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Norfolk County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02481 in?
ZIP code 02481 (Wellesley Hills) 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 02481?
ZIP code 02481 in Wellesley Hills, MA has a population of 16,244 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02481?
The median household income in ZIP 02481 is $250,001, which is 228% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02481?
The median home value in ZIP 02481 is $1,694,600, which is 509% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02481?
The largest racial group in ZIP 02481 is White at 70.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02481?
ZIP code 02481 has 719 business establishments employing approximately 12,557 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02481?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02481 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (187), Health care and social assistance (139), Finance and insurance (118). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02481?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02481 increased by 4.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 123%. 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 02481?
In ZIP code 02481, 93.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 90.6% 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 02481?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02481 is 27.8 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 02481?
In ZIP code 02481, approximately 87.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02481?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02481 is 2.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Wellesley Hills, MA

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.

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