PlainZIP

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
$100,484
Median income
$365,400
Median home value
42.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 Connecticut average), while per-capita income is $54,235. 5.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.6%. Median home value sits at $365,400 (16% below the state average), median rent at $1,666 a month, and owner-occupancy at 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. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing New London County, letting you compare 06385 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 06385

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waterford, CT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 06385.

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 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

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 06385?

46.4

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

6.5%

Foreign-Born

White 83.2%
African American 2.3%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%

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?

$100,484

Median Household Income

-11% vs state

$54,235

Per Capita Income

5.0%

Poverty Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

21.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 06385 ranks nationally

Waterford, CT household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$100,484 Top 19% higher than 81% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $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 70.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 42.3%

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

What does housing look like?

7,493

Total Housing Units

6,755

Occupied Units

738

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.6%
Renter 21.4%

$365,400

Median Home Value

-16% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 06385 ranks #3 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 06385 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 06385 ranks #6 of 9 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
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

More ZIP Codes in New London County

06360 standard
Norwich, CT
Pop: 37,541
06340 standard
Groton, CT
Pop: 31,242
06320 standard
New London, CT
Pop: 27,617
06415 standard
Colchester, CT
Pop: 16,857
06351 standard
Jewett City, CT
Pop: 16,301
06355 standard
Mystic, CT
Pop: 12,985

Related Areas

New London County Waterford, CT Connecticut

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.

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