Wells River, VT · standard
ZIP Code 05081
Orange County, Vermont - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 550
- 23/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $55,804
- Median income Below-median income area
- $275,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 25.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Wells River pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 22nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 38%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 23
- people per sq mi
- 66%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 05081 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 05081 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wells River, Orange County, Vermont, home to just 550 residents across 24.1 square miles, a density of 23 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 05081 reports a modest median household income of $55,804 (33% below the average Vermont ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,852. The poverty rate is 29.4%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $275,000 (12% below the average Vermont ZIP) and median rent is $1,021; 66.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.7, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Orange County, so 05081 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 05081
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wells River, VT
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 05081.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
4 establishments
- Construction
Construction
3 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
3 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
3 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
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 05081, Wells River, 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
550
Population
24.1
Area (sq mi)
23
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 05081?
48.7
Median Age
55.8%
Male
44.2%
Female
3.0%
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?
$55,804
Median Household Income
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$31,852
Per Capita Income
29.4%
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Unemployment Rate
29.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 05081 ranks among Vermont ZIPs
Wells River, 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)
$55,804 7th percentile higher than 7% 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
523housing units
523
Total Housing Units
393
Occupied Units
130
Vacant Units
2.14
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$275,000
Median Home Value
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$1,021
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 27 business establishments in ZIP 05081, employing approximately 243 people with a combined annual payroll of $13,632,000.
27
Businesses
243
Employees
$13.6M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 14.8% |
| Construction | 3 | 11.1% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 11.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 11.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3 | 11.1% |
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 05081 vs 05051 →
ZIP 05081 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 03774
North Haverhill (03774)
1,966 residents
- 05051
Newbury (05051)
1,549 residents
- 03740
Bath (03740)
911 residents
- 03771 754
Monroe (03771)
754 residents
- 05042 605
East Ryegate (05042)
605 residents
- 05069 555
South Ryegate (05069)
555 residents
- 05081 550
Wells River (05081)
550 residents
- 03765 503
Haverhill (03765)
503 residents
- 05040 471
East Corinth (05040)
471 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 05081 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 05081 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 03780
Pike (03780)
$189,550 median income
- 05050
Mc Indoe Falls (05050)
$107,880 median income
- 05042
East Ryegate (05042)
$96,250 median income
- 05040
East Corinth (05040)
$95,481 median income
- 03771
Monroe (03771)
$88,150 median income
- 03765
Haverhill (03765)
$79,625 median income
- 03740 $67,813
Bath (03740)
$67,813 median income
- 05069 $66,442
South Ryegate (05069)
$66,442 median income
- 05051 $65,966
Newbury (05051)
$65,966 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 05081 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05051 | Newbury, VT | 1,549 | 3.4 mi |
| 05042 | East Ryegate, VT | 605 | 6.4 mi |
| 05069 | South Ryegate, VT | 555 | 4.9 mi |
| 03765 | Haverhill, NH | 503 | 7.2 mi |
| 03774 | North Haverhill, NH | 1,966 | 5.1 mi |
| 03740 | Bath, NH | 911 | 5.4 mi |
| 05050 | Mc Indoe Falls, VT | 146 | 9.0 mi |
| 03780 | Pike, NH | 410 | 8.6 mi |
| 05040 | East Corinth, VT | 471 | 8.1 mi |
| 03771 | Monroe, NH | 754 | 10.7 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 05081, both outside VT so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
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 05081 in?
ZIP code 05081 (Wells River) 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 05081?
ZIP code 05081 in Wells River, VT has a population of 550 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 05081?
The median household income in ZIP 05081 is $55,804, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 05081?
The median home value in ZIP 05081 is $275,000, which is 1% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 05081?
The largest racial group in ZIP 05081 is White at 89.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 05081?
ZIP code 05081 has 27 business establishments employing approximately 243 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 05081?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 05081 are: Accommodation and food services (4), Construction (3), Retail trade (3). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 05081?
In ZIP code 05081, 61.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.1% 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 05081?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 05081 is 29.1 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 05081?
In ZIP code 05081, approximately 66.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 05081?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 05081 is 29.4% 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 05081's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 05081 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Wells River, 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.