Rockport, ME · standard
ZIP Code 04856
Knox County, Maine - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,330
- 59/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $86,979
- Median income Above-median income area
- $469,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 51.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Rockport pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 30%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 15%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 59
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 04856 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 04856 (Rockport, ME) fell -4.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 312.4 in 2023 to 299.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 04856 covers 56.1 square miles in Rockport, Knox County, Maine (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,330 residents on file, a density of 59 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 04856 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,979 (18% above the average Maine ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,162. The poverty rate is 5.3%, with unemployment at 6.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $469,000 (65% above the average Maine ZIP), while 84.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,194.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 51.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.7, and the average commute is 11 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Knox County, so 04856 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 04856
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rockport, ME
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 04856.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
46 establishments
- Construction
Construction
34 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
29 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
26 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
26 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 04856, Rockport, 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
3,330
Population
56.1
Area (sq mi)
59
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 04856?
48.7
Median Age
47.3%
Male
52.7%
Female
3.2%
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?
$86,979
Median Household Income
+18% vs state ZIP avg
$46,162
Per Capita Income
5.3%
Poverty Rate
6.6%
Unemployment Rate
11.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 04856 ranks among Maine ZIPs
Rockport, 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)
$86,979 Top 22% higher than 78% 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
2,018housing units
2,018
Total Housing Units
1,498
Occupied Units
520
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$469,000
Median Home Value
+65% vs state ZIP avg
$1,194
Median Rent
1978
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
-4.2%
YoY Change (2024)
299
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+199%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 04856 have decreased 4.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +199% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.8% | 178 |
| 2021 | +7.8% | 192 |
| 2022 | +31.6% | 252 |
| 2023 | +23.9% | 312 |
| 2024 | -4.2% | 299 |
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 260 business establishments in ZIP 04856, employing approximately 3,084 people with a combined annual payroll of $204,890,000.
260
Businesses
3,084
Employees
$204.9M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 46 | 17.7% |
| Construction | 34 | 13.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 29 | 11.2% |
| Retail trade | 26 | 10.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 26 | 10.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 25 | 9.6% |
| Manufacturing | 15 | 5.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 15 | 5.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 13 | 5.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 3.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 8 | 3.1% |
| Educational services | 5 | 1.9% |
| Information | 3 | 1.1% |
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 04856 vs 04841 →
ZIP 04856 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 04841
Rockland (04841)
7,297 residents
- 04843
Camden (04843)
4,851 residents
- 04864
Warren (04864)
4,751 residents
- 04849
Lincolnville (04849)
3,684 residents
- 04856
Rockport (04856)
3,330 residents
- 04861 2,781
Thomaston (04861)
2,781 residents
- 04854 1,580
Owls Head (04854)
1,580 residents
- 04847 1,536
Hope (04847)
1,536 residents
- 04858 1,533
South Thomaston (04858)
1,533 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 04856 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 04856 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 04854
Owls Head (04854)
$87,325 median income
- 04858
South Thomaston (04858)
$87,059 median income
- 04856
Rockport (04856)
$86,979 median income
- 04847
Hope (04847)
$86,766 median income
- 04843
Camden (04843)
$82,344 median income
- 04849
Lincolnville (04849)
$80,377 median income
- 04864
Warren (04864)
$74,616 median income
- 04841
Rockland (04841)
$56,533 median income
- 04861
Thomaston (04861)
$56,435 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 04856 ranks #3 of 9 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 04856, 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 (3,330 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Knox County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 04856 in?
ZIP code 04856 (Rockport) is located in Knox County, Maine. Knox County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/knox-me.
What is the population of ZIP code 04856?
ZIP code 04856 in Rockport, ME has a population of 3,330 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 04856?
The median household income in ZIP 04856 is $86,979, which is 14% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 04856?
The median home value in ZIP 04856 is $469,000, which is 69% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 04856?
The largest racial group in ZIP 04856 is White at 94.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 04856?
ZIP code 04856 has 260 business establishments employing approximately 3,084 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 04856?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 04856 are: Health care and social assistance (46), Construction (34), Professional, scientific, and technical services (29). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 04856?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 04856 decreased by 4.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 199%. 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 04856?
In ZIP code 04856, 69.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.3% 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 04856?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 04856 is 11.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 04856?
In ZIP code 04856, approximately 84.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 04856?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 04856 is 5.3% 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 04856's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 04856 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rockport, 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.