PlainZIP

Hamden, CT · standard

ZIP Code 06518

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

19,848
469/sq mi
$106,692
Median income
$325,300
Median home value
48.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Hamden pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 15%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 30%
home value, US ZIPs
469
people per sq mi
61%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 06518 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 06518 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hamden, New Haven County, Connecticut, home to 19,848 residents across 42.3 square miles, a density of 469 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 06518 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $106,692 (6% below the Connecticut average), while per-capita income is $44,771. 9.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.6%. Median home value sits at $325,300 (25% below the state average), median rent at $2,154 a month, and owner-occupancy at 60.7%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 48.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.9, and the average commute is 21 minutes. To put 06518 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 06518

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hamden, CT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 06518.

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 06518, Hamden, 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

19,848

Population

42.3

Area (sq mi)

469

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 06518?

31.9

Median Age

46.3%

Male

53.7%

Female

11.1%

Foreign-Born

White 66.9%
African American 16.0%
Asian 5.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%

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?

$106,692

Median Household Income

-6% vs state

$44,771

Per Capita Income

9.8%

Poverty Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

21.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 06518 ranks nationally

Hamden, CT household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$106,692 Top 15% higher than 85% 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 69.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 48.7%

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

What does housing look like?

7,188

Total Housing Units

6,661

Occupied Units

527

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.7%
Renter 39.3%

$325,300

Median Home Value

-25% vs state

$2,154

Median Rent

1980

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

+5.3%

YoY Change (2024)

203

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+103%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 06518 have increased 5.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +103% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.3% 138
2021 +12.3% 155
2022 +13.0% 175
2023 +10.0% 193
2024 +5.3% 203

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 522 business establishments in ZIP 06518, employing approximately 8,890 people with a combined annual payroll of $526,520,000.

522

Businesses

8,890

Employees

$526.5M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 134 25.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 67 12.8%
Finance and insurance 53 10.2%
Accommodation and food services 52 10.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 44 8.4%
Other services (except public administration) 42 8.1%
Retail trade 39 7.5%
Construction 27 5.2%
Wholesale trade 15 2.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 2.7%
Educational services 10 1.9%
Transportation and warehousing 7 1.3%
Manufacturing 6 1.1%
Information 5 1.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 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 06518 vs 06524 →

ZIP 06518 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 06518 ranks #7 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 06518 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 06518 ranks #5 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
06524 Bethany, CT 5,563 4.1 mi
06514 Hamden, CT 26,265 4.0 mi
06517 Hamden, CT 14,853 5.5 mi
06410 Cheshire, CT 29,161 5.8 mi
06473 North Haven, CT 24,388 4.4 mi
06511 New Haven, CT 53,600 7.7 mi
06510 New Haven, CT 2,737 8.4 mi
06712 Prospect, CT 9,376 5.9 mi
06492 Wallingford, CT 45,241 6.0 mi
06513 New Haven, CT 38,978 7.8 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 Hamden, CT Connecticut

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 06518 in? ▼
ZIP code 06518 (Hamden) 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 06518? ▼
ZIP code 06518 in Hamden, CT has a population of 19,848 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 06518? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 06518 is $106,692, which is 40% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 06518? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 06518 is $325,300, which is 17% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 06518? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 06518 is White at 66.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 06518? ▼
ZIP code 06518 has 522 business establishments employing approximately 8,890 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 06518? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 06518 are: Health care and social assistance (134), Professional, scientific, and technical services (67), Finance and insurance (53). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 06518? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 06518 increased by 5.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 103%. 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 06518? ▼
In ZIP code 06518, 69.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 48.7% 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 06518? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 06518 is 21.1 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 06518? ▼
In ZIP code 06518, approximately 60.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 06518? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 06518 is 9.8% 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.