Sarasota, FL · standard

ZIP Code 34238

Sarasota County, Florida — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

17,500
507/sq mi
$97,926
Median income
$574,600
Median home value
55.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 20%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 10%
home value, US ZIPs
507
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 34238 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 34238 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 34.5 square miles in Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida. The area is home to 17,500 residents, producing a population density of 507 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 34238 against Florida and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 34238 sits at $97,926 (27% above the Florida average), while per-capita income is $68,406. The poverty rate stands at 6.5% and the unemployment rate at 1.8%. On housing, the median home value is $574,600 (53% above the state average) with median rent at $1,850 per month, and 76.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 34238 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 55.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.7, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Sarasota County, so you can benchmark 34238 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 34238

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 34238.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 34238, Sarasota, FL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

17,500

Population

34.5

Area (sq mi)

507

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 34238?

63.7

Median Age

48.6%

Male

51.4%

Female

17.5%

Foreign-Born

White 86.0%
African American 3.1%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%

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?

$97,926

Median Household Income

+27% vs state

$68,406

Per Capita Income

6.5%

Poverty Rate

1.8%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 34238 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$97,926 Top 20% higher than 80% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 73.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 55.7%

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

What does housing look like?

14,705

Total Housing Units

12,109

Occupied Units

2,596

Vacant Units

1.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.4%
Renter 23.6%

$574,600

Median Home Value

+53% vs state

$1,850

Median Rent

1998

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+26.4%

YoY Change (2024)

304

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+204%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 34238 have increased 26.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +204% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 172
2020 +7.7% 185
2021 +9.8% 203
2022 +26.4% 257
2024 304

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 597 business establishments in ZIP 34238, employing approximately 7,638 people with a combined annual payroll of $391,498,000.

597

Businesses

7,638

Employees

$391.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 89 14.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 72 12.1%
Health care and social assistance 71 11.9%
Retail trade 54 9.1%
Other services (except public administration) 54 9.1%
Finance and insurance 45 7.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 43 7.2%
Construction 35 5.9%
Wholesale trade 33 5.5%
Accommodation and food services 32 5.4%
Manufacturing 16 2.7%
Transportation and warehousing 14 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 2.4%
Educational services 12 2.0%
Information 10 1.7%

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 34238 vs 34229 →

ZIP 34238 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 34238 ranks #3 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 34238 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 34238 ranks #4 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
34229 Osprey, FL 7,192 2.9 mi
34233 Sarasota, FL 16,653 3.7 mi
34231 Sarasota, FL 30,268 3.8 mi
34232 Sarasota, FL 30,969 6.6 mi
34242 Sarasota, FL 8,865 4.9 mi
34241 Sarasota, FL 13,590 5.7 mi
34275 Nokomis, FL 16,245 6.2 mi
34239 Sarasota, FL 15,038 6.4 mi
34235 Sarasota, FL 13,640 9.5 mi
34237 Sarasota, FL 16,304 7.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sarasota County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 34238 in?
ZIP code 34238 (Sarasota) is located in Sarasota County, Florida. Sarasota County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sarasota-fl.
What is the population of ZIP code 34238?
ZIP code 34238 in Sarasota, FL has a population of 17,500 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 34238?
The median household income in ZIP 34238 is $97,926, which is 28% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 34238?
The median home value in ZIP 34238 is $574,600, which is 107% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 34238?
The largest racial group in ZIP 34238 is White at 86.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 34238?
ZIP code 34238 has 597 business establishments employing approximately 7,638 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 34238?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 34238 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (89), Real estate and rental and leasing (72), Health care and social assistance (71). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 34238?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 34238 increased by 26.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 204%. 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 34238?
In ZIP code 34238, 73.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 55.7% 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 34238?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 34238 is 24.9 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 34238?
In ZIP code 34238, approximately 76.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 34238?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 34238 is 6.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Sarasota, FL

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.