PlainZIP

Ipswich, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01938

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

13,175
167/sq mi
$138,750
Median income
$745,400
Median home value
60.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ipswich pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 5%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 5%
home value, US ZIPs
167
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01938 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01938 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts, home to 13,175 residents across 78.8 square miles, a density of 167 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01938 skews affluent, with a median household income of $138,750 (20% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $71,987. The poverty rate stands at 5.7% and the unemployment rate at 2.0%. Median home value sits at $745,400 (24% above the state average), median rent at $1,598 a month, and owner-occupancy at 74.4%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 60.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.2, and the average commute is 29 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Essex County, letting you compare 01938 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 01938

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ipswich, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01938.

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 01938, Ipswich, 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

13,175

Population

78.8

Area (sq mi)

167

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 01938?

47.2

Median Age

47.4%

Male

52.6%

Female

3.4%

Foreign-Born

White 92.3%
African American 0.2%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%

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?

$138,750

Median Household Income

+20% vs state

$71,987

Per Capita Income

5.7%

Poverty Rate

2.0%

Unemployment Rate

29.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01938 ranks nationally

Ipswich, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$138,750 Top 5% higher than 95% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 78.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 60.2%

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

What does housing look like?

6,224

Total Housing Units

5,709

Occupied Units

515

Vacant Units

2.42

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.4%
Renter 25.6%

$745,400

Median Home Value

+24% vs state

$1,598

Median Rent

1964

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

+29.2%

YoY Change (2024)

264

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+164%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01938 have increased 29.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +164% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.2% 183
2021 +11.2% 203
2022 +8.6% 221
2023 -7.3% 204
2024 +29.2% 264

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 372 business establishments in ZIP 01938, employing approximately 5,007 people with a combined annual payroll of $438,570,000.

372

Businesses

5,007

Employees

$438.6M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 54 14.5%
Other services (except public administration) 50 13.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 38 10.2%
Retail trade 36 9.7%
Manufacturing 33 8.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 33 8.9%
Accommodation and food services 31 8.3%
Health care and social assistance 23 6.2%
Wholesale trade 18 4.8%
Finance and insurance 11 3.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 2.7%
Information 9 2.4%
Educational services 8 2.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 0.8%
Transportation and warehousing 3 0.8%

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 01938 vs 01982 →

ZIP 01938 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 01938 ranks #3 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 01938 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 01938 ranks #8 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
01982 South Hamilton, MA 7,764 4.0 mi
01969 Rowley, MA 5,856 3.6 mi
01951 Newbury, MA 3,558 6.5 mi
01929 Essex, MA 3,504 4.8 mi
01984 Wenham, MA 4,875 6.1 mi
01915 Beverly, MA 39,502 8.0 mi
01983 Topsfield, MA 6,089 6.0 mi
01922 Byfield, MA 3,108 6.3 mi
01950 Newburyport, MA 17,416 9.2 mi
01944 Manchester, MA 5,136 8.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Essex County

01960 standard
Peabody, MA
Pop: 50,944
01844 standard
Methuen, MA
Pop: 47,249
01841 standard
Lawrence, MA
Pop: 47,225
01902 standard
Lynn, MA
Pop: 45,139
01970 standard
Salem, MA
Pop: 41,109
01915 standard
Beverly, MA
Pop: 39,502

Related Areas

Essex County Ipswich, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01938 in? ▼
ZIP code 01938 (Ipswich) is located in Essex County, Massachusetts. Essex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/essex-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 01938? ▼
ZIP code 01938 in Ipswich, MA has a population of 13,175 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01938? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01938 is $138,750, which is 82% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01938? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01938 is $745,400, which is 168% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01938? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01938 is White at 92.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01938? ▼
ZIP code 01938 has 372 business establishments employing approximately 5,007 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01938? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01938 are: Construction (54), Other services (except public administration) (50), Professional, scientific, and technical services (38). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01938? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01938 increased by 29.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 164%. 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 01938? ▼
In ZIP code 01938, 78.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 60.2% 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 01938? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01938 is 29.4 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 01938? ▼
In ZIP code 01938, approximately 74.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01938? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01938 is 5.7% 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.