PlainZIP

Wakefield, RI · standard

ZIP Code 02879

Washington County, Rhode Island - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

20,371
211/sq mi
$112,231
Median income
$564,700
Median home value
59.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wakefield pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 12%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 11%
home value, US ZIPs
211
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02879 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02879 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wakefield, Washington County, Rhode Island, with 20,371 residents across 96.8 square miles, a density of 211 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02879 skews affluent, with a median household income of $112,231 (10% above the Rhode Island average), while per-capita income is $59,265. Poverty here runs at 8.2%, with unemployment measured at 5.2%. Median home value sits at $564,700 (24% above the state average), median rent at $1,281 a month, and owner-occupancy at 78.1%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 59.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 02879, plus 6 more within Washington 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 02879

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wakefield, RI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02879.

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 02879, Wakefield, RI · 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

20,371

Population

96.8

Area (sq mi)

211

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 02879?

49.4

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

4.1%

Foreign-Born

White 91.3%
African American 2.2%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%

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?

$112,231

Median Household Income

+10% vs state

$59,265

Per Capita Income

8.2%

Poverty Rate

5.2%

Unemployment Rate

26.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02879 ranks nationally

Wakefield, RI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$112,231 Top 12% higher than 88% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 74.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 59.0%

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

What does housing look like?

11,934

Total Housing Units

9,462

Occupied Units

2,472

Vacant Units

2.28

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.1%
Renter 21.9%

$564,700

Median Home Value

+24% vs state

$1,281

Median Rent

1977

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

+6.0%

YoY Change (2024)

344

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+244%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02879 have increased 6.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +244% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.6% 215
2021 +11.1% 239
2022 +17.8% 282
2023 +15.2% 324
2024 +6.0% 344

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 657 business establishments in ZIP 02879, employing approximately 7,701 people with a combined annual payroll of $411,580,000.

657

Businesses

7,701

Employees

$411.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 88 13.4%
Retail trade 83 12.6%
Construction 81 12.3%
Accommodation and food services 75 11.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 69 10.5%
Other services (except public administration) 59 9.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 56 8.5%
Finance and insurance 38 5.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 24 3.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 22 3.4%
Wholesale trade 18 2.7%
Manufacturing 13 2.0%
Information 12 1.8%
Educational services 10 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 4 0.6%

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 02879 vs 02881 →

ZIP 02879 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 02879 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 02879 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 02879 ranks #5 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
02881 Kingston, RI 7,841 3.7 mi
02882 Narragansett, RI 14,184 3.5 mi
02836 Kenyon, RI 136 4.7 mi
02892 West Kingston, RI 4,988 5.7 mi
02875 Shannock, RI 307 5.6 mi
02874 Saunderstown, RI 5,860 7.1 mi
02813 Charlestown, RI 7,831 7.2 mi
02812 Carolina, RI 1,497 7.1 mi
02898 Wyoming, RI 1,696 9.5 mi
02822 Exeter, RI 6,111 10.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Washington County

02852 standard
North Kingstown, RI
Pop: 22,551
02891 standard
Westerly, RI
Pop: 21,198
02882 standard
Narragansett, RI
Pop: 14,184
02881 standard
Kingston, RI
Pop: 7,841
02813 standard
Charlestown, RI
Pop: 7,831
02822 standard
Exeter, RI
Pop: 6,111

Related Areas

Washington County Wakefield, RI Rhode Island

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02879 in? ▼
ZIP code 02879 (Wakefield) is located in Washington County, Rhode Island. Washington County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/washington-ri.
What is the population of ZIP code 02879? ▼
ZIP code 02879 in Wakefield, RI has a population of 20,371 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02879? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02879 is $112,231, which is 47% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02879? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02879 is $564,700, which is 103% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02879? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02879 is White at 91.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02879? ▼
ZIP code 02879 has 657 business establishments employing approximately 7,701 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02879? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02879 are: Health care and social assistance (88), Retail trade (83), Construction (81). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02879? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02879 increased by 6.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 244%. 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 02879? ▼
In ZIP code 02879, 74.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 59.0% 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 02879? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02879 is 26.2 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 02879? ▼
In ZIP code 02879, approximately 78.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02879? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02879 is 8.2% 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.