PlainZIP

Sturgeon Bay, WI · standard

ZIP Code 54235

Door County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

17,203
35/sq mi
$70,212
Median income
$297,300
Median home value
31.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Sturgeon Bay pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

47th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 34%
home value, US ZIPs
35
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 54235 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 54235 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, home to 17,203 residents across 497.2 square miles, a density of 35 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 54235 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,212 (10% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $50,750. The poverty rate stands at 7.7% and the unemployment rate at 2.6%. Median home value sits at $297,300 (19% above the state average), median rent at $1,086 a month, and owner-occupancy at 73.5%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.4, and the average commute is 15 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Door County, so you can benchmark 54235 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 54235

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sturgeon Bay, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 54235.

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 54235, Sturgeon Bay, WI · 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

17,203

Population

497.2

Area (sq mi)

35

People / sq mi

Chicago

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 54235?

52.4

Median Age

49.9%

Male

50.1%

Female

3.5%

Foreign-Born

White 91.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%

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?

$70,212

Median Household Income

-10% vs state

$50,750

Per Capita Income

7.7%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

15.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 54235 ranks nationally

Sturgeon Bay, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$70,212 47th percentile higher than 47% 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 58.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.4%

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

What does housing look like?

12,089

Total Housing Units

8,940

Occupied Units

3,149

Vacant Units

1.97

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.5%
Renter 26.5%

$297,300

Median Home Value

+19% vs state

$1,086

Median Rent

1980

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

+11.2%

YoY Change (2024)

248

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+148%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 54235 have increased 11.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +148% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.8% 145
2021 +11.7% 162
2022 +22.1% 197
2023 +13.1% 223
2024 +11.2% 248

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 621 business establishments in ZIP 54235, employing approximately 7,320 people with a combined annual payroll of $352,315,000.

621

Businesses

7,320

Employees

$352.3M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 114 18.4%
Accommodation and food services 84 13.5%
Other services (except public administration) 71 11.4%
Construction 56 9.0%
Health care and social assistance 54 8.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 50 8.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 41 6.6%
Finance and insurance 29 4.7%
Manufacturing 28 4.5%
Wholesale trade 22 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 20 3.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 2.9%
Transportation and warehousing 13 2.1%
Information 11 1.8%
Educational services 4 0.6%

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 54235 vs 54213 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
54213 Forestville, WI 1,276 12.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Door County

54204 standard
Brussels, WI
Pop: 1,819
54234 standard
Sister Bay, WI
Pop: 1,614
54213 standard
Forestville, WI
Pop: 1,276
54202 standard
Baileys Harbor, WI
Pop: 1,240
54209 standard
Egg Harbor, WI
Pop: 1,195
54212 standard
Fish Creek, WI
Pop: 997

Related Areas

Door County Sturgeon Bay, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 54235 in? ▼
ZIP code 54235 (Sturgeon Bay) is located in Door County, Wisconsin. Door County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/door-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 54235? ▼
ZIP code 54235 in Sturgeon Bay, WI has a population of 17,203 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 54235? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 54235 is $70,212, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 54235? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 54235 is $297,300, which is 7% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 54235? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 54235 is White at 91.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 54235? ▼
ZIP code 54235 has 621 business establishments employing approximately 7,320 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 54235? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 54235 are: Retail trade (114), Accommodation and food services (84), Other services (except public administration) (71). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 54235? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 54235 increased by 11.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 148%. 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 54235? ▼
In ZIP code 54235, 58.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.4% 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 54235? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 54235 is 15.3 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 54235? ▼
In ZIP code 54235, approximately 73.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 54235? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 54235 is 7.7% 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.