Massachusetts · 19 covered places · 58 ZIP codes
Plumbers in Suffolk County, MA
We cover 19 cities and towns in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, across 58 ZIP codes, including Boston, Dorchester, Revere. About 862,000 people live in those ZIP codes. 58% of the homes were built before 1960, so galvanized pipe and old cast iron drains are common.
| Year built | Share of homes |
|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 46% |
| 1940–1959 | 12% |
| 1960–1979 | 15% |
| 1980–1999 | 10% |
| 2000 or later | 17% |
Share of housing units in the covered ZIP codes. Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates.
| Place | Residents in covered ZIPs | Built before 1960 |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | 232,258 | 56% |
| Dorchester | 84,838 | 64% |
| Revere | 59,949 | 47% |
| Dorchester Center | 55,897 | 70% |
| East Boston | 44,124 | 66% |
| Brighton | 43,683 | 53% |
| Jamaica Plain | 41,109 | 67% |
| Chelsea | 39,444 | 62% |
| Hyde Park | 38,071 | 58% |
| South Boston | 36,646 | 57% |
What goes wrong in Suffolk County homes
Pre-1960 homes: galvanized pipe and cast iron
58% of homes in Suffolk County's covered ZIP codes were built before 1960, 46% of them before 1940. Houses that old often still have galvanized steel supply lines that rust closed from the inside, and cast iron or clay sewer pipe that cracks and lets roots in. Weak pressure at upstairs fixtures, brown water after a shutoff and slow drains are the usual clues. Typical fixes are whole-house repiping and a sewer camera inspection.
Apartments, condos and attached homes
Only 13% of homes here are single-family detached houses. In attached buildings a leak or clog often involves a shared stack or a neighbor's unit, so it's worth knowing which lines are yours and which belong to the building or HOA, and where your unit's own shutoff is.
Long, hard winters
73% of homes here were built before 1980, when pipes were more often run through exterior walls and uninsulated crawl spaces. In a long Massachusetts winter those are the lines that freeze and split. See frozen and burst pipe repair.
Natural gas in most homes
58% of occupied homes here heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters, ranges and dryers are common. That means gas line extensions for new appliances, flexible connector replacements and venting checks when a water heater is swapped. If you smell gas, leave first and call the gas utility from outside. See gas line repair.
Common plumbing work in Suffolk County
City pages in Suffolk County
Other covered towns in Suffolk County
- Allston (1 ZIP)
- Brighton (1 ZIP)
- Charlestown (1 ZIP)
- Chelsea (2 ZIPs)
- Chestnut Hill (1 ZIP)
- Dorchester (3 ZIPs)
- Dorchester Center (1 ZIP)
- East Boston (1 ZIP)
- Hyde Park (1 ZIP)
- Jamaica Plain (1 ZIP)
- Mattapan (1 ZIP)
- Readville (1 ZIP)
- Revere (1 ZIP)
- Roslindale (1 ZIP)
- Roxbury (1 ZIP)
- Roxbury Crossing (1 ZIP)
- South Boston (1 ZIP)
- West Roxbury (1 ZIP)
Suffolk County plumbing FAQ
Which towns in Suffolk County do you cover?
19 places: Allston, Boston, Brighton, Charlestown, Chelsea, Chestnut Hill, Dorchester, Dorchester Center, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Readville, Revere, Roslindale, Roxbury, Roxbury Crossing, South Boston, West Roxbury. Enter your ZIP code to confirm coverage for your street.
How old are homes in Suffolk County?
Across the covered ZIP codes, Census estimates put 58% of homes as built before 1960, 15% from 1960 to 1979, 10% from 1980 to 1999 and 17% in 2000 or later.
Who licenses plumbers in Suffolk County, MA?
The Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters licenses plumbers and gas fitters; local inspectors issue permits.
Housing and heating figures are US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year estimates for the ZIP code areas we cover in Suffolk County, combined across places and weighted by housing units. Some ZIP codes extend into neighboring counties.
Need a plumber in Suffolk County?
Same-day service when a plumber is available. One call connects you with a licensed plumber who serves your ZIP.