PlainZIP

Williamsburg, VA · standard

ZIP Code 23185

James City County, Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

46,370
320/sq mi
$105,431
Median income
$429,500
Median home value
51.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 16%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 18%
home value, US ZIPs
320
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 23185 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 23185 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Williamsburg, James City County, Virginia, with 46,370 residents across 145.0 square miles, a density of 320 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 23185 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $105,431 (23% above the Virginia average), while per-capita income is $50,928. Poverty here runs at 9.0%, with unemployment measured at 4.7%. Median home value sits at $429,500 (28% above the state average), median rent at $1,489 a month, and owner-occupancy at 71.7%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 51.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.2, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 additional ZIPs sharing James City County, so you can benchmark 23185 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 23185

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Williamsburg, VA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 23185.

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 23185, Williamsburg, VA · 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

46,370

Population

145.0

Area (sq mi)

320

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 23185?

40.2

Median Age

48.0%

Male

52.0%

Female

8.4%

Foreign-Born

White 71.0%
African American 12.9%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%

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?

$105,431

Median Household Income

+23% vs state

$50,928

Per Capita Income

9.0%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

23.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 23185 ranks nationally

Williamsburg, VA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$105,431 Top 16% higher than 84% 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 68.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.6%

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

What does housing look like?

22,873

Total Housing Units

20,134

Occupied Units

2,739

Vacant Units

2.47

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.7%
Renter 28.3%

$429,500

Median Home Value

+28% vs state

$1,489

Median Rent

1990

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

+7.3%

YoY Change (2024)

255

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+155%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 23185 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +155% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.2% 177
2021 +6.8% 189
2022 +17.8% 223
2023 +6.7% 238
2024 +7.3% 255

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 1,314 business establishments in ZIP 23185, employing approximately 22,437 people with a combined annual payroll of $989,933,000.

1,314

Businesses

22,437

Employees

$989.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 235 17.9%
Retail trade 182 13.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 148 11.3%
Health care and social assistance 145 11.0%
Other services (except public administration) 112 8.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 106 8.1%
Construction 81 6.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 78 5.9%
Finance and insurance 63 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 32 2.4%
Wholesale trade 29 2.2%
Manufacturing 24 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 23 1.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 23 1.8%
Educational services 15 1.1%
Information 13 1.0%

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 23185 vs 23187 →

ZIP 23185 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 23185 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 23185 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 23185 ranks the highest of 5 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
23187 Williamsburg, VA 267 1.9 mi
23188 Williamsburg, VA 38,733 7.2 mi
23691 Yorktown, VA 127 8.1 mi
23883 Surry, VA 2,551 9.1 mi
23603 Newport News, VA 3,899 8.1 mi
23604 Fort Eustis, VA 5,720 9.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in James City County

23188 standard
Williamsburg, VA
Pop: 38,733
23168 standard
Toano, VA
Pop: 6,115

Related Areas

James City County Williamsburg, VA Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 23185 in? ▼
ZIP code 23185 (Williamsburg) is located in James City County, Virginia. James City County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/james-city-va.
What is the population of ZIP code 23185? ▼
ZIP code 23185 in Williamsburg, VA has a population of 46,370 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 23185? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 23185 is $105,431, which is 38% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 23185? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 23185 is $429,500, which is 54% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 23185? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 23185 is White at 71.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 23185? ▼
ZIP code 23185 has 1,314 business establishments employing approximately 22,437 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 23185? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 23185 are: Accommodation and food services (235), Retail trade (182), Professional, scientific, and technical services (148). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 23185? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 23185 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 155%. 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 23185? ▼
In ZIP code 23185, 68.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.6% 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 23185? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 23185 is 23.6 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 23185? ▼
In ZIP code 23185, approximately 71.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 23185? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 23185 is 9.0% 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.