PlainZIP

Holden, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01520

Worcester County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

13,997
299/sq mi
$148,125
Median income
$478,300
Median home value
57.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Holden pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 4%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 14%
home value, US ZIPs
299
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01520 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01520 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Holden, Worcester County, Massachusetts, home to 13,997 residents across 46.8 square miles, a density of 299 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01520 skews affluent, with a median household income of $148,125 (28% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $58,097. The poverty rate stands at 3.9% and the unemployment rate at 4.4%. The typical home here is valued at $478,300 (20% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,775 monthly, and 86.3% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 57.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Worcester County, so you can benchmark 01520 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 01520

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Holden, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01520.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 01520, Holden, MA · 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

13,997

Population

46.8

Area (sq mi)

299

People / sq mi

New York

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 01520?

41.5

Median Age

49.7%

Male

50.3%

Female

9.6%

Foreign-Born

White 85.2%
African American 3.1%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%

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?

$148,125

Median Household Income

+28% vs state

$58,097

Per Capita Income

3.9%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

26.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01520 ranks nationally

Holden, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$148,125 Top 4% higher than 96% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 71.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 57.5%

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

What does housing look like?

6,008

Total Housing Units

5,978

Occupied Units

30

Vacant Units

2.79

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.3%
Renter 13.7%

$478,300

Median Home Value

-20% vs state

$1,775

Median Rent

1968

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+7.6%

YoY Change (2024)

265

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+165%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01520 have increased 7.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +165% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.7% 180
2021 +12.2% 202
2022 +12.9% 228
2023 +7.6% 246
2024 +7.6% 265

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 284 business establishments in ZIP 01520, employing approximately 2,767 people with a combined annual payroll of $135,960,000.

284

Businesses

2,767

Employees

$136.0M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 50 17.6%
Construction 40 14.1%
Retail trade 31 10.9%
Other services (except public administration) 31 10.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 29 10.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 8.4%
Accommodation and food services 24 8.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 16 5.6%
Finance and insurance 14 4.9%
Manufacturing 6 2.1%
Wholesale trade 5 1.8%
Information 4 1.4%
Educational services 4 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 1.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 01520 vs 01522 →

ZIP 01520 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 01520 ranks #6 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 01520 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 01520 ranks the highest 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
01522 Jefferson, MA 3,310 3.3 mi
01602 Worcester, MA 22,819 4.4 mi
01609 Worcester, MA 22,421 3.6 mi
01606 Worcester, MA 19,077 3.3 mi
01603 Worcester, MA 19,916 6.3 mi
01583 West Boylston, MA 7,591 4.2 mi
01612 Paxton, MA 4,845 4.3 mi
01605 Worcester, MA 26,221 4.6 mi
01611 Cherry Valley, MA 2,242 6.8 mi
01608 Worcester, MA 3,888 5.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Worcester County

01453 standard
Leominster, MA
Pop: 40,883
01420 standard
Fitchburg, MA
Pop: 40,337
01545 standard
Shrewsbury, MA
Pop: 35,299
01604 standard
Worcester, MA
Pop: 34,677
01757 standard
Milford, MA
Pop: 28,061
01605 standard
Worcester, MA
Pop: 26,221

Related Areas

Worcester County Holden, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01520 in? ▼
ZIP code 01520 (Holden) is located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Worcester County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/worcester-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 01520? ▼
ZIP code 01520 in Holden, MA has a population of 13,997 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01520? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01520 is $148,125, which is 94% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01520? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01520 is $478,300, which is 72% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01520? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01520 is White at 85.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01520? ▼
ZIP code 01520 has 284 business establishments employing approximately 2,767 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01520? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01520 are: Health care and social assistance (50), Construction (40), Retail trade (31). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01520? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01520 increased by 7.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 165%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 01520? ▼
In ZIP code 01520, 71.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 57.5% 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 01520? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01520 is 26.1 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 01520? ▼
In ZIP code 01520, approximately 86.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01520? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01520 is 3.9% 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.