Middlesex County, MA

ZIP 02461

In ZIP 02461, 4 of the 12 things we check have at least one part graded D or F.

• Drinking water: Needham Water Dept has 2 contaminants at or over an EPA legal limit; 9 contaminants are above health goals, led by pfoa at 614× California’s Public Health Goal.
• Nearest Superfund site: Materials Technology Laboratory (usarmy), 4.4 miles away (3 within 10 miles).
• Largest share of modeled toxic air from industry: Certainteed LLC (30%), mostly chromium compounds.
• Fine particles (PM2.5) average 6.7 µg/m³; the WHO guideline is 5 and the EPA annual standard is 9.
• About 34,462 kg of agricultural pesticides are applied in the county each year.

Grades for ZIP 02461

• Superfund sites nearbyA to D
• Factories and industrial sitesF
• Oil and gas wellsA to B
• Parks and nature nearbyB to C
• Air qualityB
• Drinking water qualityA to F
• Pesticide useA to B
• Neighborhood health statusA to B
• Past wildfire impactsA
• Past flood impactsC
• Noise levelsA to D
• Radiation signalsB

Based on 6 census tracts · compiled October 25, 2026 · how each grade works and its sources

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