PlainZIP

Needham Heights, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02494

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

8,955
1,250/sq mi
$179,720
Median income
$1,107,700
Median home value
76.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 2%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 2%
home value, US ZIPs
1,250
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02494 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02494 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Needham Heights, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, home to 8,955 residents across 7.2 square miles, a density of 1,250 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02494 skews affluent, with a median household income of $179,720 (55% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $102,850. Local economic indicators show a 2.7% poverty rate alongside 2.1% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $1,107,700 (85% above the state average) with median rent at $2,492 per month, and 72.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 76.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 02494, plus 6 more within Norfolk County, give a clearer read than the 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 02494

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Needham Heights, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02494.

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 02494, Needham Heights, 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

8,955

Population

7.2

Area (sq mi)

1,250

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 02494?

42.9

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

26.1%

Foreign-Born

White 74.1%
African American 1.9%
Asian 13.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.2%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%

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?

$179,720

Median Household Income

+55% vs state

$102,850

Per Capita Income

2.7%

Poverty Rate

2.1%

Unemployment Rate

26.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02494 ranks nationally

Needham Heights, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$179,720 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%). This entry sits in this band. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $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 83.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 76.3%

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

What does housing look like?

4,473

Total Housing Units

4,283

Occupied Units

190

Vacant Units

2.54

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.2%
Renter 27.8%

$1,107,700

Median Home Value

+85% vs state

$2,492

Median Rent

1969

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

+5.4%

YoY Change (2024)

279

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+179%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02494 have increased 5.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +179% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.0% 215
2021 +4.7% 226
2022 +8.1% 244
2023 +8.6% 265
2024 +5.4% 279

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 696 business establishments in ZIP 02494, employing approximately 16,775 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,240,309,000.

696

Businesses

16,775

Employees

$2.2B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 138 19.8%
Health care and social assistance 85 12.2%
Finance and insurance 75 10.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 52 7.5%
Other services (except public administration) 50 7.2%
Retail trade 48 6.9%
Construction 46 6.6%
Information 42 6.0%
Wholesale trade 32 4.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 4.3%
Educational services 27 3.9%
Accommodation and food services 25 3.6%
Manufacturing 21 3.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 1.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 1.1%
Transportation and warehousing 6 0.9%

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 02494 vs 02464 →

ZIP 02494 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 02494 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 02494 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 02494 ranks #8 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
02464 Newton Upper Falls, MA 2,953 1.1 mi
02468 Waban, MA 5,273 1.9 mi
02492 Needham, MA 19,931 1.7 mi
02457 Babson Park, MA 1,432 1.9 mi
02461 Newton Highlands, MA 7,059 1.7 mi
02462 Newton Lower Falls, MA 1,554 2.4 mi
02465 West Newton, MA 11,710 3.4 mi
02459 Newton Center, MA 19,095 2.3 mi
02481 Wellesley Hills, MA 16,244 2.3 mi
02466 Auburndale, MA 8,096 3.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Norfolk County

02169 standard
Quincy, MA
Pop: 55,055
02184 standard
Braintree, MA
Pop: 35,744
02368 standard
Randolph, MA
Pop: 32,158
02038 standard
Franklin, MA
Pop: 31,635
02446 standard
Brookline, MA
Pop: 29,311
02062 standard
Norwood, MA
Pop: 28,602

Related Areas

Norfolk County Needham Heights, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02494 in? ▼
ZIP code 02494 (Needham Heights) 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 02494? ▼
ZIP code 02494 in Needham Heights, MA has a population of 8,955 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02494? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02494 is $179,720, which is 136% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02494? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02494 is $1,107,700, which is 298% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02494? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02494 is White at 74.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02494? ▼
ZIP code 02494 has 696 business establishments employing approximately 16,775 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02494? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02494 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (138), Health care and social assistance (85), Finance and insurance (75). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02494? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02494 increased by 5.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 179%. 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 02494? ▼
In ZIP code 02494, 83.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 76.3% 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 02494? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02494 is 26.8 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 02494? ▼
In ZIP code 02494, approximately 72.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02494? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02494 is 2.7% 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.