PlainZIP

Carolina, PR · standard

ZIP Code 00985

Carolina County, Puerto Rico - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

36,553
1,735/sq mi
$33,863
Median income
$148,800
Median home value
29.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Carolina pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
25th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,735
people per sq mi
65%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 00985 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 00985 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Carolina, Carolina County, Puerto Rico, with 36,553 residents across 21.1 square miles, a density of 1,735 people per square mile, in the Puerto Rico time zone.

ZIP 00985 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $33,863 (30% above the Puerto Rico average), while per-capita income is $19,235. Poverty here runs at 28.3%, with unemployment measured at 12.3%. The typical home here is valued at $148,800 (8% above the state average); renters pay a median of $601 monthly, and 65.0% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.9, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Carolina County, so you can benchmark 00985 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 00985, Carolina, PR · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

36,553

Population

21.1

Area (sq mi)

1,735

People / sq mi

Puerto Rico

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 00985?

48.9

Median Age

43.3%

Male

56.7%

Female

5.1%

Foreign-Born

White 14.6%
African American 15.2%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 31.5%
Hispanic or Latino 98.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$33,863

Median Household Income

+30% vs state

$19,235

Per Capita Income

28.3%

Poverty Rate

12.3%

Unemployment Rate

30.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 00985 ranks nationally

Carolina, PR household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$33,863 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

15,342

Total Housing Units

12,877

Occupied Units

2,465

Vacant Units

2.35

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.0%
Renter 35.0%

$148,800

Median Home Value

+8% vs state

$601

Median Rent

1967

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 00985 vs 00983 →

ZIP 00985 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 00985 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 00985 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 00985 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
00983 Carolina, PR 39,234 2.0 mi
00982 Carolina, PR 16,428 2.8 mi
00772 Loiza, PR 23,105 3.1 mi
00987 Carolina, PR 63,661 4.8 mi
00924 San Juan, PR 56,691 4.3 mi
00923 San Juan, PR 29,086 5.9 mi
00979 Carolina, PR 17,030 4.9 mi
00925 San Juan, PR 8,696 6.7 mi
00976 Trujillo Alto, PR 65,136 5.6 mi
00917 San Juan, PR 21,053 6.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Carolina County

00987 standard
Carolina, PR
Pop: 63,661
00983 standard
Carolina, PR
Pop: 39,234
00979 standard
Carolina, PR
Pop: 17,030
00982 standard
Carolina, PR
Pop: 16,428

Related Areas

Carolina County Carolina, PR Puerto Rico

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 00985 in? ▼
ZIP code 00985 (Carolina) is located in Carolina Municipio, Puerto Rico. Carolina Municipio contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/carolina-pr.
What is the population of ZIP code 00985? ▼
ZIP code 00985 in Carolina, PR has a population of 36,553 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 00985? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 00985 is $33,863, which is 56% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 00985? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 00985 is $148,800, which is 47% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 00985? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 00985 is Two or More Ethnicities at 31.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 98.8% of the population.
What is the education level in ZIP code 00985? ▼
In ZIP code 00985, 61.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 00985? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 00985 is 30.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 00985? ▼
In ZIP code 00985, approximately 65.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 00985? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 00985 is 28.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.