PlainZIP

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
$66,875
Median income
$245,100
Median home value
32.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

42th 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.

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 New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $34,445. Local economic indicators show a 17.8% poverty rate alongside 7.7% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $245,100 (53% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,593 monthly, and 58.0% of units are owner-occupied.

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. To put 08638 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Mercer 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 08638

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Trenton, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08638.

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 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

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 08638?

35.9

Median Age

47.0%

Male

53.0%

Female

23.2%

Foreign-Born

White 31.4%
African American 43.9%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.5%

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

$34,445

Per Capita Income

17.8%

Poverty Rate

7.7%

Unemployment Rate

25.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08638 ranks nationally

Trenton, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,875 42nd percentile higher than 42% 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 61.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.3%

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

What does housing look like?

10,053

Total Housing Units

9,045

Occupied Units

1,008

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 58.0%
Renter 42.0%

$245,100

Median Home Value

-53% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08638 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 08638 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 08638 ranks #8 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
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

More ZIP Codes in Mercer County

08540 standard
Princeton, NJ
Pop: 47,115
08618 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 38,229
08648 standard
Lawrence Township, NJ
Pop: 32,263
08610 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 30,468
08611 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 28,038
08520 standard
Hightstown, NJ
Pop: 27,869

Related Areas

Mercer County Trenton, NJ New Jersey

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.

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