Charlestown, MA Home Safety: Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Charlestown: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Across Charlestown, EPA monitoring data shows low violation rates and healthy safety margins - a pattern that places the city well above MA's average for drinking water compliance across recent reporting cycles.
How Charlestown Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Charlestown Water
- Average lead level: 0.0058 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 79% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.05.
Who Supplies Your Water in Charlestown
For most households in Charlestown, MA, tap water comes from one provider - the utility that controls the local distribution system out of 1 tracked in federal record.
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Charlestown, Massachusetts (population ~19,994), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 675,647 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Charlestown: A (100/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Charlestown water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0058 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02129 | A | Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) | 675,647 |
All ZIP Codes in Charlestown
- 02129 [A]
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Charlestown
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Charlestown
With 79% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
For residents trying to assess tap water risk in Charlestown, the median build year of 1900 is the starting context. It signals that a majority of homes were constructed before 1986 - the year federal rules prohibited lead solder in new plumbing - and that a significant share likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still a common choice for residential service connections. Neither risk tier is rare in this housing inventory.
Over half of homes in Charlestown were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Charlestown Homeowners
Remediation costs in Charlestown are small relative to typical property values - the cost-to-value ratio here is favorable.
Remediation costs in Charlestown are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$1,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 65% above the Massachusetts average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Charlestown
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Pulling a tap sample fills the gap that utility data cannot close, particularly here where 79% of housing dates from the pre-rule era and citywide monitoring sits at or above the regulatory mark in Charlestown.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Charlestown
Historical NFIP data for Charlestown contains 14 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $9,045. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$1,200</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Charlestown, MA