Roxbury, MA Home Safety: Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Roxbury: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
In current tracking cycles, Roxbury records above-average water quality outcomes for MA; compliance history over recent years shows few departures from federal standards and no systemic failures across its water systems.
How Roxbury Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Roxbury Water
- Average lead level: 0.0058 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 72% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.05.
Who Supplies Your Water in Roxbury
Federal drinking water records identify 1 system operating in Roxbury, MA. One of those systems serves the overwhelming majority of residential addresses, concentrating infrastructure management, rate authority, and EPA compliance reporting within a single organization.
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Roxbury, Massachusetts (population ~26,851), 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 Roxbury: 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
Roxbury 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02119 | A | Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) | 675,647 |
All ZIP Codes in Roxbury
- 02119 [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 Roxbury
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 Roxbury
With 72% 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
When more than half a city's housing predates the 1986 federal ban on lead solder, plumbing-era lead risk becomes a citywide concern rather than an exception. Roxbury's median build year of 1952 places it squarely in that category.
Over half of homes in Roxbury 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 Roxbury Homeowners
For most homeowners in Roxbury, the estimated cost of water and safety remediation represents a proportionally modest share of what properties are worth - placing this area in the lower tier of the remediation share scale.
Remediation costs in Roxbury are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$1,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 19% above the Massachusetts average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Roxbury
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.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 72% pre-rule share in Roxbury keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Roxbury
Historical NFIP data for Roxbury contains 6 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $12,690. 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 Roxbury, MA