Bethel, ME · standard
ZIP Code 04217
Oxford County, Maine - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,312
- 7/sq mi Low-density area
- $61,125
- Median income Below-median income area
- $329,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 36.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Bethel pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 31st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 29%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 7
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 04217 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 04217 (Bethel, ME) rose +13.9% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 04217 covers 473.1 square miles in Bethel, Oxford County, Maine (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,312 residents on file, a density of 7 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 04217 reports a modest median household income of $61,125 (17% below the average Maine ZIP), while per-capita income is $51,444. The poverty rate is 12.7%, with unemployment at 5.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $329,700 (16% above the average Maine ZIP), while 83.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $880.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.1, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Oxford County, so 04217 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 04217
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bethel, ME
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 04217.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
29 establishments
- Construction
Construction
24 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
23 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
13 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
12 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 04217, Bethel, ME · 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
3,312
Population
473.1
Area (sq mi)
7
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 04217?
52.1
Median Age
52.7%
Male
47.3%
Female
0.5%
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?
$61,125
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$51,444
Per Capita Income
12.7%
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Unemployment Rate
27.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 04217 ranks among Maine ZIPs
Bethel, ME household income vs. every Maine ZIP code
Median household income among 395 reporting Maine ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$61,125 34th percentile higher than 34% of 395 Maine ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Maine 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
2,648housing units
2,648
Total Housing Units
1,588
Occupied Units
1,060
Vacant Units
2.13
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$329,700
Median Home Value
+16% vs state ZIP avg
$880
Median Rent
1985
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 158 business establishments in ZIP 04217, employing approximately 1,115 people with a combined annual payroll of $50,385,000.
158
Businesses
1,115
Employees
$50.4M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 29 | 18.4% |
| Construction | 24 | 15.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 23 | 14.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 13 | 8.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 12 | 7.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 12 | 7.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 11 | 7.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 4.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 2.5% |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 2.5% |
| Educational services | 4 | 2.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 1.9% |
| Information | 3 | 1.9% |
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 04217 vs 04286 →
ZIP 04217 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 04217
Bethel (04217)
3,312 residents
- 04237 238
Hanover (04237)
238 residents
- 04231 236
Stoneham (04231)
236 residents
- 04286 47
West Bethel (04286)
47 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 04217 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 04217 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 04231
Stoneham (04231)
$63,750 median income
- 04217
Bethel (04217)
$61,125 median income
- 04237
Hanover (04237)
$55,417 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 04217 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 04217, both outside ME so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (3,312 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Oxford County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 04217 in?
ZIP code 04217 (Bethel) is located in Oxford County, Maine. Oxford County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/oxford-me.
What is the population of ZIP code 04217?
ZIP code 04217 in Bethel, ME has a population of 3,312 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 04217?
The median household income in ZIP 04217 is $61,125, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 04217?
The median home value in ZIP 04217 is $329,700, which is 19% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 04217?
The largest racial group in ZIP 04217 is White at 90.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 04217?
ZIP code 04217 has 158 business establishments employing approximately 1,115 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 04217?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 04217 are: Retail trade (29), Construction (24), Accommodation and food services (23). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 04217?
In ZIP code 04217, 68.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.9% 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 04217?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 04217 is 27.9 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 04217?
In ZIP code 04217, approximately 83.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 04217?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 04217 is 12.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 04217's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 04217 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Bethel, ME ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.