PlainZIP

West Newbury, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01985

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

4,235
122/sq mi
$179,500
Median income
$808,200
Median home value
64.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 2%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 4%
home value, US ZIPs
122
people per sq mi
96%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01985 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01985 covers 34.8 square miles in West Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,235 residents on file, a density of 122 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01985 skews affluent, with a median household income of $179,500 (55% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $83,177. The poverty rate stands at 1.6% and the unemployment rate at 2.4%. Median home value sits at $808,200 (35% above the state average), median rent at $1,675 a month, and owner-occupancy at 95.8%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 64.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.5, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Essex County, so you can benchmark 01985 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 01985

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West Newbury, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01985.

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 01985, West Newbury, 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

4,235

Population

34.8

Area (sq mi)

122

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 01985?

49.5

Median Age

48.4%

Male

51.6%

Female

6.3%

Foreign-Born

White 83.1%
African American 0.0%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%

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?

$179,500

Median Household Income

+55% vs state

$83,177

Per Capita Income

1.6%

Poverty Rate

2.4%

Unemployment Rate

31.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01985 ranks nationally

West Newbury, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$179,500 Top 2% higher than 98% 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%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 73.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 64.8%

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

What does housing look like?

1,798

Total Housing Units

1,684

Occupied Units

114

Vacant Units

2.73

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 95.8%
Renter 4.2%

$808,200

Median Home Value

+35% vs state

$1,675

Median Rent

1983

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

+9.1%

YoY Change (2024)

240

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+140%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01985 have increased 9.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +140% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.4% 164
2021 +10.1% 181
2022 +19.3% 216
2023 +1.9% 220
2024 +9.1% 240

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 74 business establishments in ZIP 01985, employing approximately 274 people with a combined annual payroll of $13,613,000.

74

Businesses

274

Employees

$13.6M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 16 21.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 17.6%
Health care and social assistance 8 10.8%
Other services (except public administration) 6 8.1%
Finance and insurance 5 6.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 6.8%
Wholesale trade 4 5.4%
Retail trade 4 5.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 4.0%
Accommodation and food services 3 4.0%

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 01985 vs 01833 →

ZIP 01985 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 01985 ranks #8 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 01985 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 01985 ranks #2 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
01833 Georgetown, MA 8,183 4.9 mi
01913 Amesbury, MA 16,283 4.3 mi
01830 Haverhill, MA 25,137 4.3 mi
01860 Merrimac, MA 6,338 3.8 mi
01834 Groveland, MA 6,459 3.7 mi
01922 Byfield, MA 3,108 3.7 mi
01950 Newburyport, MA 17,416 4.3 mi
03827 East Kingston, NH 3,150 7.9 mi
01951 Newbury, MA 3,558 6.1 mi
01969 Rowley, MA 5,856 6.3 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 West Newbury, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01985 in? ▼
ZIP code 01985 (West Newbury) 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 01985? ▼
ZIP code 01985 in West Newbury, MA has a population of 4,235 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01985? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01985 is $179,500, which is 135% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01985? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01985 is $808,200, which is 191% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01985? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01985 is White at 83.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01985? ▼
ZIP code 01985 has 74 business establishments employing approximately 274 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01985? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01985 are: Construction (16), Professional, scientific, and technical services (13), Health care and social assistance (8). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01985? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01985 increased by 9.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 140%. 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 01985? ▼
In ZIP code 01985, 73.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 64.8% 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 01985? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01985 is 31.4 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 01985? ▼
In ZIP code 01985, approximately 95.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 4.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01985? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01985 is 1.6% 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.