Scottsdale, AZ · standard
ZIP Code 85256
Maricopa County, Arizona - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,974
- 58/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $44,844
- Median income Below-median income area
- $190,500
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 12.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Scottsdale pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 9th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 41st pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 58
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 85256 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 85256 covers 85.5 square miles in Scottsdale, Maricopa County, Arizona (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,974 residents on file, a density of 58 people per square mile, in the Phoenix time zone.
ZIP 85256 reports a modest median household income of $44,844 (38% below the average Arizona ZIP), while per-capita income is $22,233. Economic pressure is pronounced: 29.3% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 12.8%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $190,500 (44% below the average Arizona ZIP), and median rent is $564; owner occupancy is 81.2%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.5, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Maricopa County, so 85256 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 85256
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Scottsdale, AZ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 85256.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
12 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
12 establishments
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
10 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
8 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 85256, Scottsdale, AZ · 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
4,974
Population
85.5
Area (sq mi)
58
People / sq mi
Phoenix
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 85256?
30.5
Median Age
42.9%
Male
57.1%
Female
0.5%
Foreign-Born
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?
$44,844
Median Household Income
-38% vs state ZIP avg
$22,233
Per Capita Income
29.3%
Poverty Rate
12.8%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 85256 ranks among Arizona ZIPs
Scottsdale, AZ household income vs. every Arizona ZIP code
Median household income among 372 reporting Arizona ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$44,844 15th percentile higher than 15% of 372 Arizona ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Arizona 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,133housing units
1,133
Total Housing Units
1,016
Occupied Units
117
Vacant Units
3.38
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$190,500
Median Home Value
-44% vs state ZIP avg
$564
Median Rent
1987
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 74 business establishments in ZIP 85256, employing approximately 10,670 people with a combined annual payroll of $767,023,000.
74
Businesses
10,670
Employees
$767.0M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 12 | 16.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 16.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 10 | 13.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 10.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 8.1% |
| Construction | 5 | 6.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 5.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 4 | 5.4% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 4.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3 | 4.0% |
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 85256 vs 85201 →
ZIP 85256 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 85201
Mesa (85201)
46,092 residents
- 85210
Mesa (85210)
36,464 residents
- 85018
Phoenix (85018)
36,065 residents
- 85203
Mesa (85203)
35,541 residents
- 85251
Scottsdale (85251)
34,390 residents
- 85213
Mesa (85213)
31,797 residents
- 85257
Scottsdale (85257)
26,755 residents
- 85258
Scottsdale (85258)
23,342 residents
- 85259
Scottsdale (85259)
21,422 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 85256 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 85256 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 85259
Scottsdale (85259)
$137,895 median income
- 85258
Scottsdale (85258)
$114,111 median income
- 85213
Mesa (85213)
$103,969 median income
- 85250
Scottsdale (85250)
$95,761 median income
- 85018
Phoenix (85018)
$93,885 median income
- 85251
Scottsdale (85251)
$92,851 median income
- 85257
Scottsdale (85257)
$86,962 median income
- 85203
Mesa (85203)
$73,578 median income
- 85201
Mesa (85201)
$67,294 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 85256 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85201 | Mesa, AZ | 46,092 | 4.7 mi |
| 85250 | Scottsdale, AZ | 15,906 | 3.6 mi |
| 85251 | Scottsdale, AZ | 34,390 | 4.6 mi |
| 85203 | Mesa, AZ | 35,541 | 4.2 mi |
| 85257 | Scottsdale, AZ | 26,755 | 5.1 mi |
| 85210 | Mesa, AZ | 36,464 | 7.7 mi |
| 85258 | Scottsdale, AZ | 23,342 | 5.4 mi |
| 85213 | Mesa, AZ | 31,797 | 5.5 mi |
| 85259 | Scottsdale, AZ | 21,422 | 7.1 mi |
| 85018 | Phoenix, AZ | 36,065 | 8.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 85256, both outside AZ so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,974 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Maricopa County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 85256 in?
ZIP code 85256 (Scottsdale) is located in Maricopa County, Arizona. Maricopa County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/maricopa-az.
What is the population of ZIP code 85256?
ZIP code 85256 in Scottsdale, AZ has a population of 4,974 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 85256?
The median household income in ZIP 85256 is $44,844, which is 41% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 85256?
The median home value in ZIP 85256 is $190,500, which is 32% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 85256?
The largest racial group in ZIP 85256 is American Indian or Alaska Native at 78.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 27.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 85256?
ZIP code 85256 has 74 business establishments employing approximately 10,670 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 85256?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 85256 are: Retail trade (12), Accommodation and food services (12), Arts, entertainment, and recreation (10). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 85256?
In ZIP code 85256, 43.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 85256?
In ZIP code 85256, approximately 81.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 85256?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 85256 is 29.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 85256's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 85256 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Scottsdale, AZ ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.