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 High-density area
- $179,500
- Median income Above-median income area
- $808,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 64.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 01985 (West Newbury, MA) rose +9.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 219.7 in 2023 to 239.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Massachusetts ZIP), while per-capita income is $83,177. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 1.6% and unemployment is 2.4%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $808,200 (35% above the average Massachusetts ZIP), while 95.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,675.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Essex County, so 01985 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Construction
Construction
16 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
13 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
8 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 6
Other services (except public administration)
6 establishments
- Finance and insurance 5
Finance and insurance
5 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 01985?
49.5
Median Age
48.4%
Male
51.6%
Female
6.3%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$83,177
Per Capita Income
1.6%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
31.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 01985 ranks among Massachusetts ZIPs
West Newbury, MA household income vs. every Massachusetts ZIP code
Median household income among 505 reporting Massachusetts ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$179,500 Top 10% higher than 90% of 505 Massachusetts ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Massachusetts 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,798housing units
1,798
Total Housing Units
1,684
Occupied Units
114
Vacant Units
2.73
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$808,200
Median Home Value
+35% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 01830
Haverhill (01830)
25,137 residents
- 01950
Newburyport (01950)
17,416 residents
- 01913
Amesbury (01913)
16,283 residents
- 01833 8,183
Georgetown (01833)
8,183 residents
- 01834 6,459
Groveland (01834)
6,459 residents
- 01860 6,338
Merrimac (01860)
6,338 residents
- 01969 5,856
Rowley (01969)
5,856 residents
- 01985 4,235
West Newbury (01985)
4,235 residents
- 01951 3,558
Newbury (01951)
3,558 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01985 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 01985 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 01951
Newbury (01951)
$182,684 median income
- 01985
West Newbury (01985)
$179,500 median income
- 01833
Georgetown (01833)
$153,750 median income
- 03827
East Kingston (03827)
$142,794 median income
- 01922
Byfield (01922)
$142,207 median income
- 01834
Groveland (01834)
$141,487 median income
- 01950
Newburyport (01950)
$139,625 median income
- 01969
Rowley (01969)
$132,734 median income
- 01860
Merrimac (01860)
$123,054 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 01985, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,235 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Essex County
Related Areas
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.
Related
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What to do with ZIP 01985's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 01985 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where West Newbury, MA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.