PlainZIP

South Hero, VT · standard

ZIP Code 05486

Grand Isle County, Vermont - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

1,654
43/sq mi
$126,513
Median income
$544,700
Median home value
61.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

South Hero pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 11%
home value, US ZIPs
43
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 05486 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 05486 covers 38.6 square miles in South Hero, Grand Isle County, Vermont (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,654 residents on file, a density of 43 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 05486 skews affluent, with a median household income of $126,513 (53% above the Vermont average), while per-capita income is $77,987. 3.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 6.1%. Median home value sits at $544,700 (74% above the state average), median rent at $1,439 a month, and owner-occupancy at 84.5%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 61.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.4, and the average commute is 24 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 8 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 05486, plus 4 more within Grand Isle County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 05486

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in South Hero, VT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 05486.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 05486, South Hero, 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

1,654

Population

38.6

Area (sq mi)

43

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 05486?

52.4

Median Age

53.0%

Male

47.0%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 93.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%

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?

$126,513

Median Household Income

+53% vs state

$77,987

Per Capita Income

3.7%

Poverty Rate

6.1%

Unemployment Rate

24.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 05486 ranks nationally

South Hero, VT household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$126,513 Top 8% higher than 92% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 78.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 61.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,017

Total Housing Units

633

Occupied Units

384

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.5%
Renter 15.5%

$544,700

Median Home Value

+74% vs state

$1,439

Median Rent

1984

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

+9.0%

YoY Change (2024)

312

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+212%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 05486 have increased 9.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +212% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 -0.8% 182
2020 +5.1% 191
2021 +10.9% 212
2022 +9.0% 231
2024 – 312

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 53 business establishments in ZIP 05486, employing approximately 277 people with a combined annual payroll of $11,418,000.

53

Businesses

277

Employees

$11.4M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 11 20.8%
Retail trade 9 17.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 6 11.3%
Construction 5 9.4%
Health care and social assistance 5 9.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 5.7%
Other services (except public administration) 3 5.7%

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 05486 vs 05458 →

ZIP 05486 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 05486 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 05486 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 05486 ranks the highest of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
05458 Grand Isle, VT 2,044 5.4 mi
12903 Plattsburgh, NY 1,217 7.2 mi
05408 Burlington, VT 10,114 9.4 mi
05446 Colchester, VT 15,373 8.9 mi
12975 Port Kent, NY 265 9.7 mi
05481 Saint Albans Bay, VT 0 10.5 mi
05404 Winooski, VT 7,240 11.8 mi
05439 Colchester, VT 1,734 12.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Grand Isle County

05458 standard
Grand Isle, VT
Pop: 2,044
05440 standard
Alburgh, VT
Pop: 1,998
05474 standard
North Hero, VT
Pop: 803
05463 standard
Isle La Motte, VT
Pop: 471

Related Areas

Grand Isle County South Hero, VT Vermont

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 05486 in? ▼
ZIP code 05486 (South Hero) is located in Grand Isle County, Vermont. Grand Isle County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/grand-isle-vt.
What is the population of ZIP code 05486? ▼
ZIP code 05486 in South Hero, VT has a population of 1,654 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 05486? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 05486 is $126,513, which is 66% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 05486? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 05486 is $544,700, which is 96% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 05486? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 05486 is White at 93.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 05486? ▼
ZIP code 05486 has 53 business establishments employing approximately 277 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 05486? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 05486 are: Accommodation and food services (11), Retail trade (9), Professional, scientific, and technical services (6). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 05486? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 05486 increased by 9.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 212%. 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 05486? ▼
In ZIP code 05486, 78.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 61.1% 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 05486? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 05486 is 24.2 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 05486? ▼
In ZIP code 05486, 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 05486? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 05486 is 3.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.