PlainZIP

East Wareham, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02538

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

3,603
306/sq mi
$123,750
Median income
$392,000
Median home value
24.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 21%
home value, US ZIPs
306
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02538 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02538 covers 11.8 square miles in East Wareham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,603 residents on file, a density of 306 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02538 skews affluent, with a median household income of $123,750 (7% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $44,053. Local economic indicators show a 3.3% poverty rate alongside 0.6% unemployment. Median home value sits at $392,000 (35% below the state average), median rent at $1,407 a month, and owner-occupancy at 82.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.1, and the average commute is 33 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Plymouth County, letting you compare 02538 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 02538

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in East Wareham, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02538.

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 02538, East Wareham, 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

3,603

Population

11.8

Area (sq mi)

306

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 02538?

41.1

Median Age

51.6%

Male

48.4%

Female

0.9%

Foreign-Born

White 87.2%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$123,750

Median Household Income

+7% vs state

$44,053

Per Capita Income

3.3%

Poverty Rate

0.6%

Unemployment Rate

32.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02538 ranks nationally

East Wareham, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$123,750 Top 8% higher than 92% 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 64.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.6%

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

What does housing look like?

1,649

Total Housing Units

1,548

Occupied Units

101

Vacant Units

2.62

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 82.2%
Renter 17.8%

$392,000

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

$1,407

Median Rent

1971

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

+11.8%

YoY Change (2024)

329

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+229%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02538 have increased 11.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +229% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.2% 213
2021 +17.9% 251
2022 +15.5% 289
2023 +1.8% 294
2024 +11.8% 329

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 118 business establishments in ZIP 02538, employing approximately 1,215 people with a combined annual payroll of $49,559,000.

118

Businesses

1,215

Employees

$49.6M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 35 29.7%
Accommodation and food services 22 18.6%
Construction 13 11.0%
Other services (except public administration) 12 10.2%
Health care and social assistance 7 5.9%
Finance and insurance 6 5.1%
Manufacturing 4 3.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 3.4%
Wholesale trade 3 2.5%
Transportation and warehousing 3 2.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 2.5%

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 02538 vs 02558 →

ZIP 02538 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 02538 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 02538 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 02538 ranks the highest of 8 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
02558 Onset, MA 2,156 2.2 mi
02571 Wareham, MA 10,481 2.7 mi
02532 Buzzards Bay, MA 12,690 3.2 mi
02366 South Carver, MA 197 5.1 mi
02553 Monument Beach, MA 226 4.7 mi
02576 West Wareham, MA 3,754 5.9 mi
02559 Pocasset, MA 3,376 6.2 mi
02360 Plymouth, MA 56,271 7.1 mi
02561 Sagamore, MA 539 6.0 mi
02562 Sagamore Beach, MA 2,977 6.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Plymouth County

02301 standard
Brockton, MA
Pop: 61,025
02360 standard
Plymouth, MA
Pop: 56,271
02302 standard
Brockton, MA
Pop: 32,741
02324 standard
Bridgewater, MA
Pop: 26,563
02050 standard
Marshfield, MA
Pop: 25,429
02346 standard
Middleboro, MA
Pop: 23,106

Related Areas

Plymouth County East Wareham, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02538 in? ▼
ZIP code 02538 (East Wareham) is located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Plymouth County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/plymouth-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 02538? ▼
ZIP code 02538 in East Wareham, MA has a population of 3,603 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02538? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02538 is $123,750, which is 62% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02538? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02538 is $392,000, which is 41% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02538? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02538 is White at 87.2%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02538? ▼
ZIP code 02538 has 118 business establishments employing approximately 1,215 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02538? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02538 are: Retail trade (35), Accommodation and food services (22), Construction (13). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02538? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02538 increased by 11.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 229%. 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 02538? ▼
In ZIP code 02538, 64.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.6% 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 02538? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02538 is 32.9 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 02538? ▼
In ZIP code 02538, approximately 82.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02538? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02538 is 3.3% 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.