ZIP code
02120
in Roxbury Crossing, MassachusettsPopulation 15,283
52.20/ 100
Ranked #13,180 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #447 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (bottom 15%)
Ranked #255 of 281 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ZIPs (bottom 9.3%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
High cholesterol
25.3%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Walkability
320 intersections/sq mi
in the top 0.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
22 ppb
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
US99thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
45.4%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
20.9%
in the bottom 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
6.0%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
48.9%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Obesity
21.9%
in the bottom 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
9.2%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
25.3%
in the top 1.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›The read
Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts (ZIP 02120) ranks in the top 41% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,180th) and the bottom 15% of Massachusetts (447th).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: modeled high cholesterol stands in the bottom 1.3% nationally, and walkability sits in the top 0.6% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure resides in the bottom 1.5% nationally, and obesity stands in the bottom 2.0% nationally. Working the other way, lead in tap water sits in the top 0.6% nationally, modeled loneliness resides in the top 0.6% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise stands in the top 1.0% nationally. Households without a vehicle sits in the top 1.1% nationally, homeownership resides in the bottom 1.3% nationally, and modeled transportation noise stands in the top 1.7% nationally.
Against its neighbors, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 02115, just across the boundary.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts. Compare it against the US, this state and the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 97%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 92%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 42%
11%
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 23%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 98%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Disability
healthier than 15%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 92%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 98%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 2%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 11.6; chronic-disease standing 97.3 (top 10%) — 86 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,604 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
02115
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 55.89
Closest healthier
02118
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 59.07
Similar health profile
13210
New York98% similar profile
Score 50.17
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 12.8% | 11.6–14.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 20.9% | 19.1–22.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 2.8% | 2.6–3.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.1% | 10.9–13.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–3.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.2 |
| Depression among adults | 26.1% | 23.4–29.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 25.3% | 23.1–27.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 21.9% | 18.9–25.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.2% | 2.1–2.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.0% | 17.1–23.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.6% | 6.4–9.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 61.9% | 59.9–63.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.8% | 71.9–77.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 76.4% | 73.6–79.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.3% | 58.6–66.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.5% | 51.6–57.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.9% | 76.2–85.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.7% | 17.4–22.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.9% | 23.9–30.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.5% | 31.9–39.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.1% | 18.0–22.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 22.4% | 20.3–24.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.6% | 10.4–12.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.9% | 18.7–23.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.8% | 27.7–34.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.6–4.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.9–12.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–10.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–3.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.6% | 6.0–7.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.0% | 24.7–31.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 27.1% | 23.8–30.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 29.8% | 26.4–33.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.5% | 17.2–22.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 17.2% | 15.2–19.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 45.4% | 41.4–49.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.5–15.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 33.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 2.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 20.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 45.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 45.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523 |
| Households without a vehicle | 48.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 47.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 30.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522 |
| Homeownership rate | 9.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522 |
| Foreign-born population | 24.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527 |
| Single-parent households | 32.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520 |
| Population 65+ | 6.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527 |
| Median age | 23.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524 |
| Median household income | $64,289 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505 |
| Median home value | $885,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508 |
| Median gross rent | $1,649 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,659 ($1,104–$2,452) n=461 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured