PlainZIP

West Haven, CT · standard

ZIP Code 06516

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

55,564
1,996/sq mi
$74,382
Median income
$291,700
Median home value
30.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

West Haven pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure and unusually populous area.

Top 46%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 35%
home value, US ZIPs
1,996
people per sq mi
51%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 06516 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 06516 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in West Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut, with 55,564 residents across 27.8 square miles, a density of 1,996 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 06516 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $74,382 (34% below the Connecticut average), while per-capita income is $35,740. 14.1% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.3%. On housing, the median home value is $291,700 (33% below the state average) with median rent at $1,442 per month, and 50.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.8, and the average commute is 23 minutes. To put 06516 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in New Haven County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 06516

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West Haven, CT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 06516.

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 06516, West Haven, 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

55,564

Population

27.8

Area (sq mi)

1,996

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 06516?

35.8

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

21.1%

Foreign-Born

White 47.2%
African American 20.9%
Asian 5.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.7%
Hispanic or Latino 27.4%

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?

$74,382

Median Household Income

-34% vs state

$35,740

Per Capita Income

14.1%

Poverty Rate

7.3%

Unemployment Rate

22.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 06516 ranks nationally

West Haven, CT household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$74,382 Top 46% higher than 54% 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 63.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.5%

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

What does housing look like?

21,973

Total Housing Units

20,938

Occupied Units

1,035

Vacant Units

2.47

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 50.6%
Renter 49.4%

$291,700

Median Home Value

-33% vs state

$1,442

Median Rent

1959

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

+8.9%

YoY Change (2024)

266

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+166%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 06516 have increased 8.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +166% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.4% 165
2021 +17.3% 193
2022 +12.7% 218
2023 +12.1% 244
2024 +8.9% 266

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 780 business establishments in ZIP 06516, employing approximately 13,371 people with a combined annual payroll of $792,824,000.

780

Businesses

13,371

Employees

$792.8M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 117 15.0%
Retail trade 109 14.0%
Other services (except public administration) 106 13.6%
Health care and social assistance 90 11.5%
Construction 79 10.1%
Wholesale trade 54 6.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 54 6.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 35 4.5%
Manufacturing 34 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 3.9%
Transportation and warehousing 26 3.3%
Finance and insurance 24 3.1%
Educational services 10 1.3%
Information 6 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 0.6%

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 06516 vs 06519 →

ZIP 06516 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 06516 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 06516 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 06516 ranks #7 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
06519 New Haven, CT 16,428 2.2 mi
06515 New Haven, CT 17,141 3.7 mi
06477 Orange, CT 13,956 3.2 mi
06510 New Haven, CT 2,737 3.1 mi
06511 New Haven, CT 53,600 3.6 mi
06512 East Haven, CT 29,861 5.0 mi
06514 Hamden, CT 26,265 7.0 mi
06525 Woodbridge, CT 8,990 6.1 mi
06517 Hamden, CT 14,853 6.1 mi
06461 Milford, CT 14,552 6.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in New Haven County

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
06770 standard
Naugatuck, CT
Pop: 31,975

Related Areas

New Haven County West Haven, CT Connecticut

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 06516 in? ▼
ZIP code 06516 (West Haven) 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 06516? ▼
ZIP code 06516 in West Haven, CT has a population of 55,564 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 06516? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 06516 is $74,382, which is 2% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 06516? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 06516 is $291,700, which is 5% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 06516? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 06516 is White at 47.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 27.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 06516? ▼
ZIP code 06516 has 780 business establishments employing approximately 13,371 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 06516? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 06516 are: Accommodation and food services (117), Retail trade (109), Other services (except public administration) (106). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 06516? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 06516 increased by 8.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 166%. 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 06516? ▼
In ZIP code 06516, 63.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.5% 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 06516? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 06516 is 22.9 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 06516? ▼
In ZIP code 06516, approximately 50.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 49.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 06516? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 06516 is 14.1% 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.