PlainZIP

Buzzards Bay, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02542

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

1,139
14/sq mi
$62,083
Median income
42.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Buzzards Bay pairs a below-median household income, in a rural, renter-heavy area.

33th pct
household income, US ZIPs
14
people per sq mi
0%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02542 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02542 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Buzzards Bay, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, home to just 1,139 residents across 79.7 square miles, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02542 reports a modest median household income of $62,083 (46% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $25,873. Local economic indicators show a 0.8% poverty rate alongside 0.9% unemployment. Median home value sits at -, median rent at $2,094 a month, and owner-occupancy at 0.0%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 42.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.1, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 02542, plus 6 more within Barnstable County, give a clearer read than the 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 →

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 02542, Buzzards Bay, 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

1,139

Population

79.7

Area (sq mi)

14

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 02542?

30.1

Median Age

49.8%

Male

50.2%

Female

17.3%

Foreign-Born

White 89.0%
African American 3.7%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%

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?

$62,083

Median Household Income

-46% vs state

$25,873

Per Capita Income

0.8%

Poverty Rate

0.9%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 02542 ranks nationally

Buzzards Bay, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$62,083 33rd percentile higher than 33% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $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 59.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 42.1%

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

What does housing look like?

380

Total Housing Units

264

Occupied Units

116

Vacant Units

2.78

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 0.0%
Renter 100.0%

$2,094

Median Rent

1956

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 8 business establishments in ZIP 02542, employing approximately 27 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,652,000.

8

Businesses

27

Employees

$3.7M

Annual Payroll

1

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 4 50.0%

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 02542 vs 02644 →

ZIP 02542 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 02542 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 02542 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 02542 ranks #9 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
02644 Forestdale, MA 3,955 2.3 mi
02559 Pocasset, MA 3,376 3.6 mi
02561 Sagamore, MA 539 4.6 mi
02553 Monument Beach, MA 226 3.8 mi
02563 Sandwich, MA 10,359 3.7 mi
02532 Buzzards Bay, MA 12,690 4.3 mi
02562 Sagamore Beach, MA 2,977 5.9 mi
02534 Cataumet, MA 842 4.5 mi
02536 East Falmouth, MA 19,583 7.4 mi
02537 East Sandwich, MA 6,293 5.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Barnstable County

02536 standard
East Falmouth, MA
Pop: 19,583
02601 standard
Hyannis, MA
Pop: 14,089
02649 standard
Mashpee, MA
Pop: 14,006
02532 standard
Buzzards Bay, MA
Pop: 12,690
02632 standard
Centerville, MA
Pop: 10,742
02563 standard
Sandwich, MA
Pop: 10,359

Related Areas

Barnstable County Buzzards Bay, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02542 in? ▼
ZIP code 02542 (Buzzards Bay) is located in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Barnstable County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/barnstable-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 02542? ▼
ZIP code 02542 in Buzzards Bay, MA has a population of 1,139 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02542? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02542 is $62,083, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02542? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02542 is White at 89.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02542? ▼
ZIP code 02542 has 8 business establishments employing approximately 27 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 02542? ▼
In ZIP code 02542, 59.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 42.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02542? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02542 is 0.8% 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.