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Boston city, MA

ZIP 02121 — Housing & Real Estate

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.

Working ClassLow Snow Area

Home values, rent, tenure, and housing stock

Housing & Real Estate in ZIP Code 02121

Median Home Value
$548,100
Median Rent
$1,123
Affordability Snapshot
$151,000
Est. income to buy

Household income needed for a median home under a 20% down / 6.8% illustrative mortgage model (~$3,521/mo PITI).

35%
Rent-to-Income Ratio

Above the 30% affordability threshold — housing cost-burdened area.

14.2x
Home Price-to-Income Ratio

Well above the 3-5x guideline — challenging for first-time buyers.

40.7 yrs
Price-to-Rent Ratio

Years to break even buying vs renting at median home value and rent.

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 02121 in Boston city, MA, a household would need roughly $151,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $3,521. That is about 292% above the local median household income ($38,565), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

Housing Tenure

Diverse housing tenure.

Heating Fuel
Housing Metrics
Owner Occupied
23.1%-65% vs US avg
x
Vacancy Rate
9.0%-13% vs US avg
x
Broadband Access
82.2%-6% vs US avg
x
4+ Bedrooms
5.8%-61% vs US avg
x
Built Pre-1939
5.7%-55% vs US avg
x
Built Post-2014
0.8%-89% vs US avg
x
Rent Burden >30%
32.2%-35% vs US avg
x
Mortgage-Free
21.2%-45% vs US avg
x
$548,100
Home Value
$1,123
Rent
1950
Year Built
2013
Moved In

Residents have lived here since ~2013 on average

Housing Structure

Census ACS structure types (single-family, multi-unit, etc.).

  • 1-unit detached7.9%
  • 1-unit attached6.1%
  • 2-9 units68.1%
  • 10+ units17.9%
  • Mobile home & other0.0%

Housing & Real Estate key statistics

Housing statistics
Housing
Median home value$548,100
Median rent$1,123
Owner-occupied23.1%
Vacant9.0%
Price-to-income14.2x
Est. income to buy$151,000