Waterford, CT · standard
ZIP Code 06385
New London County, Connecticut - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 15,893
- 246/sq mi High-density area
- $100,484
- Median income Above-median income area
- $365,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 42.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Waterford pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 19%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 24%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 246
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 06385 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 06385 (Waterford, CT) rose +10.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 214.1 in 2023 to 237.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 06385 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waterford, New London County, Connecticut, home to 15,893 residents across 64.6 square miles, a density of 246 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 06385 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $100,484 (11% below the average Connecticut ZIP), while per-capita income is $54,235. The poverty rate is 5.0%, with unemployment at 5.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $365,400 (16% below the average Connecticut ZIP), and median rent is $1,666; owner occupancy is 78.6%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 42.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.4, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in New London County, so 06385 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 06385
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waterford, CT
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 06385.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
101 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
70 establishments
- Construction
Construction
47 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
45 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
42 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 06385, Waterford, CT · 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
15,893
Population
64.6
Area (sq mi)
246
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 06385?
46.4
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
6.5%
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?
$100,484
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$54,235
Per Capita Income
5.0%
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
21.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 06385 ranks among Connecticut ZIPs
Waterford, CT household income vs. every Connecticut ZIP code
Median household income among 270 reporting Connecticut ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$100,484 38th percentile higher than 38% of 270 Connecticut ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Connecticut 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
7,493housing units
7,493
Total Housing Units
6,755
Occupied Units
738
Vacant Units
2.32
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$365,400
Median Home Value
-16% vs state ZIP avg
$1,666
Median Rent
1971
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
+10.7%
YoY Change (2024)
237
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+137%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 06385 have increased 10.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.9% | 157 |
| 2021 | +11.4% | 175 |
| 2022 | +11.2% | 194 |
| 2023 | +10.1% | 214 |
| 2024 | +10.7% | 237 |
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 489 business establishments in ZIP 06385, employing approximately 8,775 people with a combined annual payroll of $507,142,000.
489
Businesses
8,775
Employees
$507.1M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 101 | 20.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 70 | 14.3% |
| Construction | 47 | 9.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 45 | 9.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 42 | 8.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 37 | 7.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 35 | 7.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 24 | 4.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 23 | 4.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 16 | 3.3% |
| Information | 12 | 2.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 12 | 2.5% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 5 | 1.0% |
| Utilities | 4 | 0.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 0.8% |
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 06385 vs 06320 →
ZIP 06385 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 06340
Groton (06340)
31,242 residents
- 06320
New London (06320)
27,617 residents
- 06385
Waterford (06385)
15,893 residents
- 06357
Niantic (06357)
12,552 residents
- 06382 11,947
Uncasville (06382)
11,947 residents
- 06370 7,429
Oakdale (06370)
7,429 residents
- 06335 6,729
Gales Ferry (06335)
6,729 residents
- 06333 6,607
East Lyme (06333)
6,607 residents
- 06375 3,660
Quaker Hill (06375)
3,660 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 06385 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 06385 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 06376
South Lyme (06376)
$156,000 median income
- 06333
East Lyme (06333)
$129,083 median income
- 06335
Gales Ferry (06335)
$118,116 median income
- 06375
Quaker Hill (06375)
$111,833 median income
- 06370
Oakdale (06370)
$105,700 median income
- 06385
Waterford (06385)
$100,484 median income
- 06357
Niantic (06357)
$93,026 median income
- 06382
Uncasville (06382)
$89,635 median income
- 06340
Groton (06340)
$81,792 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 06385 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06320 | New London, CT | 27,617 | 2.8 mi |
| 06375 | Quaker Hill, CT | 3,660 | 3.7 mi |
| 06357 | Niantic, CT | 12,552 | 3.8 mi |
| 06340 | Groton, CT | 31,242 | 5.7 mi |
| 06353 | Montville, CT | 162 | 7.0 mi |
| 06333 | East Lyme, CT | 6,607 | 5.0 mi |
| 06370 | Oakdale, CT | 7,429 | 7.6 mi |
| 06382 | Uncasville, CT | 11,947 | 7.5 mi |
| 06376 | South Lyme, CT | 57 | 6.7 mi |
| 06335 | Gales Ferry, CT | 6,729 | 7.1 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 06385, both outside CT so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (15,893 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in New London County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 06385 in?
ZIP code 06385 (Waterford) is located in New London County, Connecticut. New London County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/new-london-ct.
What is the population of ZIP code 06385?
ZIP code 06385 in Waterford, CT has a population of 15,893 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 06385?
The median household income in ZIP 06385 is $100,484, which is 32% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 06385?
The median home value in ZIP 06385 is $365,400, which is 31% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 06385?
The largest racial group in ZIP 06385 is White at 83.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 06385?
ZIP code 06385 has 489 business establishments employing approximately 8,775 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 06385?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 06385 are: Retail trade (101), Health care and social assistance (70), Construction (47). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 06385?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 06385 increased by 10.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 06385?
In ZIP code 06385, 70.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 42.3% 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 06385?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 06385 is 21.9 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 06385?
In ZIP code 06385, approximately 78.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 06385?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 06385 is 5.0% 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 06385's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 06385 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Waterford, CT 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.