Chelsea, VT · standard
ZIP Code 05038
Orange County, Vermont - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,230
- 12/sq mi Low-density area
- $62,000
- Median income Below-median income area
- $254,800
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 28.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chelsea pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 33rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 41%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 05038 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 05038 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chelsea, Orange County, Vermont, home to just 1,230 residents across 102.5 square miles, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 05038 reports a modest median household income of $62,000 (25% below the average Vermont ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,627. The poverty rate is 13.4%, with unemployment at 0.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $254,800 (19% below the average Vermont ZIP), and median rent is $1,567; owner occupancy is 82.7%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 55.1, and the average commute is 30 minutes. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Orange County, so 05038 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 05038
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chelsea, VT
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 05038.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
7 establishments
- Construction
Construction
6 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
4 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
3 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 05038, Chelsea, VT · 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
1,230
Population
102.5
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 05038?
55.1
Median Age
50.9%
Male
49.1%
Female
3.1%
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?
$62,000
Median Household Income
-25% vs state ZIP avg
$33,627
Per Capita Income
13.4%
Poverty Rate
0.9%
Unemployment Rate
30.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 05038 ranks among Vermont ZIPs
Chelsea, VT household income vs. every Vermont ZIP code
Median household income among 238 reporting Vermont ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$62,000 12th percentile higher than 12% of 238 Vermont ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Vermont 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
803housing units
803
Total Housing Units
600
Occupied Units
203
Vacant Units
2.25
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$254,800
Median Home Value
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$1,567
Median Rent
1970
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 34 business establishments in ZIP 05038, employing approximately 189 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,202,000.
34
Businesses
189
Employees
$7.2M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7 | 20.6% |
| Construction | 6 | 17.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 11.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 11.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 8.8% |
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 05038 vs 05077 →
ZIP 05038 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 05679
Williamstown (05679)
3,296 residents
- 05061
Randolph Center (05061)
1,679 residents
- 05038 1,230
Chelsea (05038)
1,230 residents
- 05077 1,215
Tunbridge (05077)
1,215 residents
- 05675 1,064
Washington (05675)
1,064 residents
- 05036 1,037
Brookfield (05036)
1,037 residents
- 05654 970
Graniteville (05654)
970 residents
- 05079 730
Vershire (05079)
730 residents
- 05072 526
Strafford (05072)
526 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 05038 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 05038 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 05072
Strafford (05072)
$113,438 median income
- 05036
Brookfield (05036)
$109,612 median income
- 05679
Williamstown (05679)
$94,082 median income
- 05077
Tunbridge (05077)
$92,656 median income
- 05654
Graniteville (05654)
$89,896 median income
- 05041
East Randolph (05041)
$85,479 median income
- 05061
Randolph Center (05061)
$75,761 median income
- 05079
Vershire (05079)
$72,022 median income
- 05675
Washington (05675)
$65,682 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 05038 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05077 | Tunbridge, VT | 1,215 | 6.4 mi |
| 05675 | Washington, VT | 1,064 | 5.8 mi |
| 05041 | East Randolph, VT | 354 | 5.1 mi |
| 05036 | Brookfield, VT | 1,037 | 6.5 mi |
| 05654 | Graniteville, VT | 970 | 10.1 mi |
| 05079 | Vershire, VT | 730 | 7.1 mi |
| 05072 | Strafford, VT | 526 | 8.6 mi |
| 05061 | Randolph Center, VT | 1,679 | 7.7 mi |
| 05679 | Williamstown, VT | 3,296 | 8.8 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 05038, both outside VT so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,230 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Orange County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 05038 in?
ZIP code 05038 (Chelsea) is located in Orange County, Vermont. Orange County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/orange-vt.
What is the population of ZIP code 05038?
ZIP code 05038 in Chelsea, VT has a population of 1,230 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 05038?
The median household income in ZIP 05038 is $62,000, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 05038?
The median home value in ZIP 05038 is $254,800, which is 8% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 05038?
The largest racial group in ZIP 05038 is White at 92.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 05038?
ZIP code 05038 has 34 business establishments employing approximately 189 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 05038?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 05038 are: Health care and social assistance (7), Construction (6), Professional, scientific, and technical services (4). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 05038?
In ZIP code 05038, 66.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.8% 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 05038?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 05038 is 30.0 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 05038?
In ZIP code 05038, approximately 82.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 05038?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 05038 is 13.4% 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 05038's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 05038 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chelsea, VT 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.