Trenton, NJ · standard
ZIP Code 08638
Mercer County, New Jersey - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 22,832
- 1,532/sq mi High-density area
- $66,875
- Median income Near-median income area
- $245,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 32.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Trenton pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 42nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 44%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,532
- people per sq mi
- 58%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08638 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 08638 (Trenton, NJ) rose +9.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 263.4 in 2023 to 288.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 08638 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey, with 22,832 residents across 14.9 square miles, a density of 1,532 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 08638 reports a modest median household income of $66,875 (45% below the average New Jersey ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,445. The poverty rate is 17.8%, with unemployment at 7.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $245,100 (53% below the average New Jersey ZIP), and median rent is $1,593; owner occupancy is 58.0%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.9, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Mercer County, so 08638 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 08638
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Trenton, NJ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08638.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
105 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
61 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
59 establishments
- Construction
Construction
57 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
47 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 08638, Trenton, NJ · 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
22,832
Population
14.9
Area (sq mi)
1,532
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 08638?
35.9
Median Age
47.0%
Male
53.0%
Female
23.2%
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?
$66,875
Median Household Income
-45% vs state ZIP avg
$34,445
Per Capita Income
17.8%
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 08638 ranks among New Jersey ZIPs
Trenton, NJ household income vs. every New Jersey ZIP code
Median household income among 565 reporting New Jersey ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$66,875 9th percentile higher than 9% of 565 New Jersey ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more New Jersey 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
10,053housing units
10,053
Total Housing Units
9,045
Occupied Units
1,008
Vacant Units
2.43
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$245,100
Median Home Value
-53% vs state ZIP avg
$1,593
Median Rent
1961
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
+9.4%
YoY Change (2024)
288
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+188%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 08638 have increased 9.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +188% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.6% | 163 |
| 2021 | +16.6% | 191 |
| 2022 | +19.9% | 229 |
| 2023 | +15.3% | 263 |
| 2024 | +9.4% | 288 |
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 553 business establishments in ZIP 08638, employing approximately 11,018 people with a combined annual payroll of $682,763,000.
553
Businesses
11,018
Employees
$682.8M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 105 | 19.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 61 | 11.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 59 | 10.7% |
| Construction | 57 | 10.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 47 | 8.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 47 | 8.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 44 | 8.0% |
| Manufacturing | 36 | 6.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 25 | 4.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 21 | 3.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 20 | 3.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 11 | 2.0% |
| Information | 6 | 1.1% |
| Educational services | 5 | 0.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 0.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.5% |
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 08638 vs 08618 →
ZIP 08638 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 19067
Morrisville (19067)
51,334 residents
- 08618
Trenton (08618)
38,229 residents
- 08648
Lawrence Township (08648)
32,263 residents
- 08611
Trenton (08611)
28,038 residents
- 08638
Trenton (08638)
22,832 residents
- 08619
Trenton (08619)
22,723 residents
- 08609 13,546
Trenton (08609)
13,546 residents
- 08534 12,929
Pennington (08534)
12,929 residents
- 08629 12,331
Trenton (08629)
12,331 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08638 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 08638 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 08534
Pennington (08534)
$175,573 median income
- 19067
Morrisville (19067)
$133,630 median income
- 08648
Lawrence Township (08648)
$125,514 median income
- 08628
Trenton (08628)
$108,158 median income
- 08619
Trenton (08619)
$105,946 median income
- 08629
Trenton (08629)
$82,646 median income
- 08609 $68,238
Trenton (08609)
$68,238 median income
- 08638 $66,875
Trenton (08638)
$66,875 median income
- 08608 $61,201
Trenton (08608)
$61,201 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 08638 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08618 | Trenton, NJ | 38,229 | 1.4 mi |
| 08608 | Trenton, NJ | 983 | 2.6 mi |
| 08609 | Trenton, NJ | 13,546 | 2.4 mi |
| 08629 | Trenton, NJ | 12,331 | 3.0 mi |
| 08648 | Lawrence Township, NJ | 32,263 | 2.9 mi |
| 08628 | Trenton, NJ | 9,054 | 3.2 mi |
| 08611 | Trenton, NJ | 28,038 | 4.5 mi |
| 08619 | Trenton, NJ | 22,723 | 3.7 mi |
| 08534 | Pennington, NJ | 12,929 | 5.3 mi |
| 19067 | Morrisville, PA | 51,334 | 4.5 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 08638, both outside NJ so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (22,832 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Mercer County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 08638 in?
ZIP code 08638 (Trenton) is located in Mercer County, New Jersey. Mercer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mercer-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08638?
ZIP code 08638 in Trenton, NJ has a population of 22,832 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08638?
The median household income in ZIP 08638 is $66,875, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08638?
The median home value in ZIP 08638 is $245,100, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08638?
The largest racial group in ZIP 08638 is African American at 43.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 20.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08638?
ZIP code 08638 has 553 business establishments employing approximately 11,018 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08638?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08638 are: Retail trade (105), Health care and social assistance (61), Other services (except public administration) (59). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08638?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08638 increased by 9.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 188%. 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 08638?
In ZIP code 08638, 61.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.3% 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 08638?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08638 is 25.5 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 08638?
In ZIP code 08638, approximately 58.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08638?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08638 is 17.8% 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 08638's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 08638 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Trenton, NJ 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.