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ZipVitals

ZIP code

02131

in Roslindale, MassachusettsPopulation 31,151

62.09/ 100

Ranked #3,474 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 10.9%)

Ranked #214 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (top 41%)

Ranked #157 of 281 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ZIPs (bottom 44%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Lead in tap water

23 ppb

in the top 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Mammography

84.7%

in the top 0.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST70th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

21.4%

in the top 2.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US98th
Definition & 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 ›

Obesity

24.4%

in the bottom 4.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST25th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Walkability

190 intersections/sq mi

in the top 3.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST89th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Loud transportation noise

2.5%

in the top 5.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Child-care access

0.69 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of child day-care services inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.

Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.

Full methodology ›

Park land

20.5%

in the top 6.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

Grocery access

0.2 per 1,000 residents

in the top 7.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The number of full supermarkets inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.

Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”

Full methodology ›

Households without a vehicle

14.4%

in the top 7.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of households with no vehicle available.

Full methodology ›

The read

Roslindale, Massachusetts (ZIP 02131), by its overall standing, sits in the top 10.9% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,474th) and the top 41% of Massachusetts (214th).

continue reading

The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: modeled mammography lands in the top 0.8% nationally, modeled obesity is in the bottom 4.7% nationally, and walkability resides in the top 3.1% nationally. Childcare rests in the top 5.4% nationally, park land lies in the top 6.8% nationally, and grocery sits in the top 7.6% nationally. By contrast, lead in tap water settles in the top 0.6% nationally, and modeled transportation noise registers in the top 2.2% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise stands in the top 5.3% nationally, and households without a vehicle lands in the top 7.9% nationally.

Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. 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. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 02130, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 87%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 66%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 90%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 70%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 66%

8%

Disability

healthier than 83%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 91%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 88%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 24%

14%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 77%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 68%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 96%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 85%

5%

About typical

Disability

healthier than 48%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 40%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 34%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 29%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 33%

11%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 69%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 61%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 96%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 85%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 29%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 34%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 36%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 20%

11%

Disability

healthier than 34%

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 24.5; chronic-disease standing 87.4 — 63 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #15,692 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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults21.8%19.8–24.1
High blood pressure among adults29.0%26.6–31.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.3%6.6–7.9
Current asthma among adults11.5%10.3–12.7
Coronary heart disease among adults5.0%4.5–5.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults4.9%4.4–5.5
Depression among adults22.2%19.9–24.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults9.4%8.3–10.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened34.8%32.0–37.8
Obesity among adults24.4%21.1–28.2
Stroke among adults2.8%2.6–3.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.8%9.1–12.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.1%5.3–7.0
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.5%73.0–78.1
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.6%78.3–82.9
Cholesterol screening among adults90.2%89.1–91.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.4%65.0–71.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults67.8%65.3–70.2
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years84.7%80.6–88.3
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.4%17.2–21.9
Current cigarette smoking among adults10.1%8.9–11.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults22.4%19.9–25.3
Short sleep duration among adults32.5%29.3–36.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults16.2%14.5–18.0
Frequent mental distress among adults15.6%14.2–17.3
Frequent physical distress among adults11.4%10.2–12.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.9%11.7–14.4
Any disability among adults24.7%22.2–27.5
Hearing disability among adults5.0%4.4–5.5
Independent living disability among adults7.0%6.4–7.8
Mobility disability among adults11.1%9.9–12.4
Self-care disability among adults3.2%3.0–3.5
Vision disability among adults4.4%4.1–4.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.7%21.0–26.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.8%13.0–16.7
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults16.4%14.5–18.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.1%12.5–16.0
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.9%7.9–10.0
Loneliness among adults36.2%32.6–39.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.9%7.8–10.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate9.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524
Uninsured 18–642.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2862.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525
No HS diploma (25+)8.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526
Bachelor's or higher (25+)53.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50545.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526
Unemployment rate (16+)5.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523
Households without a vehicle14.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522
Broadband subscription92.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32294.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)32.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32230.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522
Homeownership rate59.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32279.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.7%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522
Foreign-born population23.7%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5538.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527
Single-parent households39.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08752.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520
Population 65+16.5%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527
Median age39.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524
Median household income$111,006$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505
Median home value$664,700$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508
Median gross rent$2,020$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,659 ($1,104–$2,452) n=461
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.2 yr ± 0.6578.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30881.3 yr (78.1–84.4) n=514

About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 0.65 years of 80.2, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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