Boothbay Harbor, ME · standard
ZIP Code 04538
Lincoln County, Maine - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,080
- 165/sq mi High-density area
- $56,500
- Median income Below-median income area
- $388,100
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 42.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Boothbay Harbor pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 23rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 22%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 165
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 04538 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 04538 covers 12.6 square miles in Boothbay Harbor, Lincoln County, Maine (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,080 residents on file, a density of 165 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 04538 reports a modest median household income of $56,500 (23% below the average Maine ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,517. The poverty rate is 18.2%, with unemployment at 2.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $388,100 (37% above the average Maine ZIP), while 73.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,058.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 42.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 64.4, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lincoln County, so 04538 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 04538
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Boothbay Harbor, ME
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 04538.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
46 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
41 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 16
Other services (except public administration)
16 establishments
- Construction 14
Construction
14 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 14
Professional, scientific, and technical services
14 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 04538, Boothbay Harbor, 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
2,080
Population
12.6
Area (sq mi)
165
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 04538?
64.4
Median Age
40.8%
Male
59.2%
Female
3.9%
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?
$56,500
Median Household Income
-23% vs state ZIP avg
$40,517
Per Capita Income
18.2%
Poverty Rate
2.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 04538 ranks among Maine ZIPs
Boothbay Harbor, 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)
$56,500 24th percentile higher than 24% 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
1,892housing units
1,892
Total Housing Units
978
Occupied Units
914
Vacant Units
1.78
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$388,100
Median Home Value
+37% vs state ZIP avg
$1,058
Median Rent
1957
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 189 business establishments in ZIP 04538, employing approximately 918 people with a combined annual payroll of $56,867,000.
189
Businesses
918
Employees
$56.9M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 46 | 24.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 41 | 21.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 16 | 8.5% |
| Construction | 14 | 7.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 14 | 7.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 9 | 4.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 9 | 4.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 4.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 7 | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 2.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 2.1% |
| Information | 4 | 2.1% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 1.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 1.6% |
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 04538 vs 04575 →
ZIP 04538 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 04538
Boothbay Harbor (04538)
2,080 residents
- 04537
Boothbay (04537)
2,073 residents
- 04556
Edgecomb (04556)
1,249 residents
- 04544 724
East Boothbay (04544)
724 residents
- 04554 710
New Harbor (04554)
710 residents
- 04576 604
Southport (04576)
604 residents
- 04568 391
South Bristol (04568)
391 residents
- 04571 323
Trevett (04571)
323 residents
- 04558 308
Pemaquid (04558)
308 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 04538 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 04538 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 04575
West Boothbay Harbor (04575)
$116,250 median income
- 04556
Edgecomb (04556)
$108,750 median income
- 04558
Pemaquid (04558)
$91,477 median income
- 04576
Southport (04576)
$89,375 median income
- 04554
New Harbor (04554)
$85,288 median income
- 04537
Boothbay (04537)
$76,667 median income
- 04544
East Boothbay (04544)
$59,375 median income
- 04571
Trevett (04571)
$58,830 median income
- 04538
Boothbay Harbor (04538)
$56,500 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 04538 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04575 | West Boothbay Harbor, ME | 85 | 1.6 mi |
| 04537 | Boothbay, ME | 2,073 | 2.8 mi |
| 04570 | Squirrel Island, ME | 2 | 3.3 mi |
| 04544 | East Boothbay, ME | 724 | 2.3 mi |
| 04576 | Southport, ME | 604 | 3.0 mi |
| 04571 | Trevett, ME | 323 | 3.6 mi |
| 04568 | South Bristol, ME | 391 | 4.0 mi |
| 04556 | Edgecomb, ME | 1,249 | 7.8 mi |
| 04554 | New Harbor, ME | 710 | 6.2 mi |
| 04558 | Pemaquid, ME | 308 | 6.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 04538, 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 (2,080 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lincoln County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 04538 in?
ZIP code 04538 (Boothbay Harbor) is located in Lincoln County, Maine. Lincoln County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lincoln-me.
What is the population of ZIP code 04538?
ZIP code 04538 in Boothbay Harbor, ME has a population of 2,080 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 04538?
The median household income in ZIP 04538 is $56,500, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 04538?
The median home value in ZIP 04538 is $388,100, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 04538?
The largest racial group in ZIP 04538 is White at 92.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 04538?
ZIP code 04538 has 189 business establishments employing approximately 918 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 04538?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 04538 are: Retail trade (46), Accommodation and food services (41), Other services (except public administration) (16). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 04538?
In ZIP code 04538, 70.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 42.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 04538?
In ZIP code 04538, approximately 73.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 04538?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 04538 is 18.2% 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 04538's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 04538 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Boothbay Harbor, ME 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.