March 2024

MassGIS had received quarterly updates of these data as part of its license for the HERE (Navteq) core map release (streets and related data); however, that license has expired. These ZIP Code boundaries are aligned to the street centerlines of the Q2 2018 HERE product (with a release date of April 1, 2018) and use a then-recent USPS source file.In March 2024, MassGIS modified the boundaries for all ZIP Code areas in Boston based on the U.S. Postal Service's ZIP Code Look Up by Address website. MassGIS also added polygons for ZIP Codes 02199 and 02203.Five-digit ZIP Codes were developed by the USPS and first introduced in 1963 for efficient mail delivery (the term ZIP stands for Zone Improvement Plan) but are difficult to map with complete certainty. In most cases, addresses in close proximity to each other are grouped in the same ZIP Code, which gives the appearance that ZIP Codes are defined by a clear geographic boundary. However, even when ZIP Codes appear to be geographically grouped, a clear ZIP Code boundary cannot always be drawn because ZIP Codes are only assigned to a point of delivery and not the spaces between delivery points. In areas without a regular postal route or no mail delivery, ZIP Codes may not be defined or have unclear boundaries.The USPS does not maintain an official ZIP Code map. The Census Bureau and many other commercial services will interpolate the data to create polygons to represent the approximate area covered by a ZIP code, but none of these maps are official or entirely accurate. Please see this good discussion of the issues of mapping ZIP Codes.See full metadata.Map service also available.

Boston Neighborhood Boundaries represent a combination of zoning neighborhood boundaries, zip code boundaries and 2010 census tract boundaries. These boundaries are used in the broad sense for visualization purposes, research analysis and planning studies. However these boundaries are not official neighborhood boundaries for the City of Boston. The BPDA is not responsible for any districts or boundaries within the City of Boston except for the districts we use for planning purposes.

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September 2024