PlainZIP

Meriden, CT · standard

ZIP Code 06451

New Haven County, Connecticut - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

24,419
964/sq mi
$71,255
Median income
$239,800
Median home value
19.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Meriden pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
964
people per sq mi
57%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 06451 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 06451 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut, with 24,419 residents across 25.3 square miles, a density of 964 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 06451 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,255 (37% below the Connecticut average), while per-capita income is $37,040. The poverty rate stands at 13.3% and the unemployment rate at 8.6%. Median home value sits at $239,800 (45% below the state average), median rent at $1,213 a month, and owner-occupancy at 56.9%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.8, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing New Haven County, so you can benchmark 06451 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 06451

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Meriden, CT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 06451.

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 06451, Meriden, 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

24,419

Population

25.3

Area (sq mi)

964

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 06451?

38.8

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

10.2%

Foreign-Born

White 51.2%
African American 8.9%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 26.9%
Hispanic or Latino 40.2%

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?

$71,255

Median Household Income

-37% vs state

$37,040

Per Capita Income

13.3%

Poverty Rate

8.6%

Unemployment Rate

24.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 06451 ranks nationally

Meriden, CT household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,255 49th percentile higher than 49% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 55.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.7%

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

What does housing look like?

10,900

Total Housing Units

10,022

Occupied Units

878

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 56.9%
Renter 43.1%

$239,800

Median Home Value

-45% vs state

$1,213

Median Rent

1957

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

+13.0%

YoY Change (2024)

241

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+141%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 06451 have increased 13.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +141% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.7% 152
2021 +16.2% 176
2022 +13.4% 200
2023 +6.9% 213
2024 +13.0% 241

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 325 business establishments in ZIP 06451, employing approximately 5,134 people with a combined annual payroll of $264,155,000.

325

Businesses

5,134

Employees

$264.2M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 74 22.8%
Health care and social assistance 41 12.6%
Accommodation and food services 35 10.8%
Other services (except public administration) 34 10.5%
Construction 33 10.2%
Manufacturing 19 5.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 14 4.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 4.0%
Wholesale trade 11 3.4%
Transportation and warehousing 11 3.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 3.1%
Finance and insurance 8 2.5%
Information 7 2.1%
Educational services 6 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 1.2%
Utilities 3 0.9%

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 06451 vs 06450 →

ZIP 06451 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 06451 ranks #5 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 06451 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 06451 ranks #9 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
06450 Meriden, CT 36,493 2.6 mi
06492 Wallingford, CT 45,241 5.8 mi
06467 Milldale, CT 157 4.3 mi
06410 Cheshire, CT 29,161 4.7 mi
06037 Berlin, CT 18,565 5.3 mi
06479 Plantsville, CT 10,431 4.8 mi
06489 Southington, CT 32,067 5.5 mi
06444 Marion, CT 370 5.8 mi
06481 Rockfall, CT 1,277 6.4 mi
06455 Middlefield, CT 3,148 5.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in New Haven County

06516 standard
West Haven, CT
Pop: 55,564
06511 standard
New Haven, CT
Pop: 53,600
06492 standard
Wallingford, CT
Pop: 45,241
06513 standard
New Haven, CT
Pop: 38,978
06460 standard
Milford, CT
Pop: 38,207
06450 standard
Meriden, CT
Pop: 36,493

Related Areas

New Haven County Meriden, CT Connecticut

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 06451 in? ▼
ZIP code 06451 (Meriden) is located in New Haven County, Connecticut. New Haven County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/new-haven-ct.
What is the population of ZIP code 06451? ▼
ZIP code 06451 in Meriden, CT has a population of 24,419 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 06451? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 06451 is $71,255, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 06451? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 06451 is $239,800, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 06451? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 06451 is White at 51.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 40.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 06451? ▼
ZIP code 06451 has 325 business establishments employing approximately 5,134 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 06451? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 06451 are: Retail trade (74), Health care and social assistance (41), Accommodation and food services (35). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 06451? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 06451 increased by 13.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 141%. 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 06451? ▼
In ZIP code 06451, 55.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.7% 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 06451? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 06451 is 24.1 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 06451? ▼
In ZIP code 06451, approximately 56.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 43.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 06451? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 06451 is 13.3% 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.