PlainZIP

Marlboro, NY · standard

ZIP Code 12542

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

5,913
160/sq mi
$121,378
Median income
$416,000
Median home value
44.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Marlboro pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 9%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 19%
home value, US ZIPs
160
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12542 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 12542 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Marlboro, Ulster County, New York, home to 5,913 residents across 37.1 square miles, a density of 160 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 12542 skews affluent, with a median household income of $121,378 (31% above the New York average), while per-capita income is $60,909. Local economic indicators show a 3.8% poverty rate alongside 5.3% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $416,000 (10% above the state average) with median rent at $1,955 per month, and 73.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 44.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.3, and the average commute is 33 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Ulster County, so you can benchmark 12542 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 12542

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Marlboro, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12542.

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 12542, Marlboro, NY · 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

5,913

Population

37.1

Area (sq mi)

160

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 12542?

43.3

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

6.8%

Foreign-Born

White 73.6%
African American 9.1%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%

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?

$121,378

Median Household Income

+31% vs state

$60,909

Per Capita Income

3.8%

Poverty Rate

5.3%

Unemployment Rate

32.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 12542 ranks nationally

Marlboro, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$121,378 Top 9% higher than 91% 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%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $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 67.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 44.3%

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

What does housing look like?

2,324

Total Housing Units

2,106

Occupied Units

218

Vacant Units

2.65

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.0%
Renter 27.0%

$416,000

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$1,955

Median Rent

1983

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

+12.2%

YoY Change (2024)

253

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+153%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 12542 have increased 12.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +153% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.1% 166
2021 +20.2% 200
2022 +11.4% 223
2023 +1.2% 225
2024 +12.2% 253

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 127 business establishments in ZIP 12542, employing approximately 679 people with a combined annual payroll of $32,826,000.

127

Businesses

679

Employees

$32.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 17 13.4%
Retail trade 17 13.4%
Accommodation and food services 16 12.6%
Other services (except public administration) 14 11.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 12 9.4%
Transportation and warehousing 11 8.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 7.1%
Finance and insurance 7 5.5%
Health care and social assistance 6 4.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 5 3.9%
Wholesale trade 4 3.1%
Manufacturing 3 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 2.4%

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 12542 vs 12547 →

ZIP 12542 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 12542 ranks #6 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 12542 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 12542 ranks #2 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
12547 Milton, NY 2,891 3.4 mi
12512 Chelsea, NY 127 4.2 mi
12528 Highland, NY 13,344 7.7 mi
12590 Wappingers Falls, NY 35,102 5.7 mi
12550 Newburgh, NY 54,447 5.6 mi
12515 Clintondale, NY 1,549 6.2 mi
12527 Glenham, NY 147 6.9 mi
12508 Beacon, NY 19,880 8.0 mi
12548 Modena, NY 1,494 6.7 mi
12601 Poughkeepsie, NY 43,398 8.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ulster County

12401 standard
Kingston, NY
Pop: 35,040
12477 standard
Saugerties, NY
Pop: 18,787
12561 standard
New Paltz, NY
Pop: 18,308
12589 standard
Wallkill, NY
Pop: 17,228
12528 standard
Highland, NY
Pop: 13,344
12566 standard
Pine Bush, NY
Pop: 10,753

Related Areas

Ulster County Marlboro, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 12542 in? ▼
ZIP code 12542 (Marlboro) is located in Ulster County, New York. Ulster County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ulster-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12542? ▼
ZIP code 12542 in Marlboro, NY has a population of 5,913 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12542? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 12542 is $121,378, which is 59% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12542? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 12542 is $416,000, which is 50% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12542? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 12542 is White at 73.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12542? ▼
ZIP code 12542 has 127 business establishments employing approximately 679 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12542? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12542 are: Construction (17), Retail trade (17), Accommodation and food services (16). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12542? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12542 increased by 12.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 153%. 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 12542? ▼
In ZIP code 12542, 67.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 44.3% 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 12542? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12542 is 32.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 12542? ▼
In ZIP code 12542, approximately 73.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12542? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12542 is 3.8% 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.