Tempe, AZ · standard
ZIP Code 85281
Maricopa County, Arizona - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 57,348
- 1,658/sq mi High-density area
- $64,538
- Median income Near-median income area
- $381,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 50.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Tempe pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy and unusually populous area.
- 38th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 23%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,658
- people per sq mi
- 24%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 85281 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 85281 (Tempe, AZ) rose +2.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 370.5 in 2023 to 378.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 85281 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Tempe, Maricopa County, Arizona, with 57,348 residents across 34.6 square miles, a density of 1,658 people per square mile, in the Phoenix time zone.
ZIP 85281 reports a modest median household income of $64,538 (11% below the average Arizona ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,117. The poverty rate is 24.6%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $381,000 (13% above the average Arizona ZIP) and median rent is $1,677; 23.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 50.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 25.4, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Maricopa County, so 85281 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 85281
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Tempe, AZ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 85281.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
306 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
276 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
240 establishments
- Construction
Construction
198 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
194 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 85281, Tempe, 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
57,348
Population
34.6
Area (sq mi)
1,658
People / sq mi
Phoenix
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 85281?
25.4
Median Age
54.7%
Male
45.3%
Female
18.1%
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?
$64,538
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$34,117
Per Capita Income
24.6%
Poverty Rate
6.8%
Unemployment Rate
21.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 85281 ranks nationally
Tempe, AZ household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$64,538 38th percentile higher than 38% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
33,978housing units
33,978
Total Housing Units
29,307
Occupied Units
4,671
Vacant Units
2.16
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$381,000
Median Home Value
+13% vs state ZIP avg
$1,677
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
+2.1%
YoY Change (2024)
378
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+278%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 85281 have increased 2.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +278% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +8.2% | 258 |
| 2021 | +18.2% | 305 |
| 2022 | +20.7% | 368 |
| 2023 | +0.7% | 370 |
| 2024 | +2.1% | 378 |
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 2,295 business establishments in ZIP 85281, employing approximately 95,380 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,108,395,000.
2,295
Businesses
95,380
Employees
$7.1B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 306 | 13.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 276 | 12.0% |
| Retail trade | 240 | 10.5% |
| Construction | 198 | 8.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 194 | 8.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 181 | 7.9% |
| Manufacturing | 146 | 6.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 143 | 6.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 137 | 6.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 136 | 5.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 128 | 5.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 56 | 2.4% |
| Information | 46 | 2.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 44 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 32 | 1.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 25 | 1.1% |
| Utilities | 5 | 0.2% |
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 85281 vs 85282 →
ZIP 85281 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 85281
Tempe (85281)
57,348 residents
- 85008
Phoenix (85008)
56,145 residents
- 85282
Tempe (85282)
48,671 residents
- 85201
Mesa (85201)
46,092 residents
- 85283
Tempe (85283)
44,813 residents
- 85202
Mesa (85202)
37,275 residents
- 85251
Scottsdale (85251)
34,390 residents
- 85040
Phoenix (85040)
29,352 residents
- 85257
Scottsdale (85257)
26,755 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 85281 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 85281 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 85284
Tempe (85284)
$156,146 median income
- 85251
Scottsdale (85251)
$92,851 median income
- 85257
Scottsdale (85257)
$86,962 median income
- 85283
Tempe (85283)
$84,568 median income
- 85282
Tempe (85282)
$79,036 median income
- 85202
Mesa (85202)
$71,619 median income
- 85201
Mesa (85201)
$67,294 median income
- 85008
Phoenix (85008)
$66,353 median income
- 85281
Tempe (85281)
$64,538 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 85281 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85282 | Tempe, AZ | 48,671 | 2.4 mi |
| 85257 | Scottsdale, AZ | 26,755 | 2.6 mi |
| 85283 | Tempe, AZ | 44,813 | 4.4 mi |
| 85251 | Scottsdale, AZ | 34,390 | 4.6 mi |
| 85201 | Mesa, AZ | 46,092 | 4.7 mi |
| 85008 | Phoenix, AZ | 56,145 | 4.0 mi |
| 85284 | Tempe, AZ | 16,479 | 6.3 mi |
| 85034 | Phoenix, AZ | 5,582 | 5.1 mi |
| 85202 | Mesa, AZ | 37,275 | 4.5 mi |
| 85040 | Phoenix, AZ | 29,352 | 5.7 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 85281, 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 (57,348 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 85281 in?
ZIP code 85281 (Tempe) 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 85281?
ZIP code 85281 in Tempe, AZ has a population of 57,348 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 85281?
The median household income in ZIP 85281 is $64,538, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 85281?
The median home value in ZIP 85281 is $381,000, which is 37% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 85281?
The largest racial group in ZIP 85281 is White at 53.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 85281?
ZIP code 85281 has 2,295 business establishments employing approximately 95,380 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 85281?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 85281 are: Accommodation and food services (306), Professional, scientific, and technical services (276), Retail trade (240). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 85281?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 85281 increased by 2.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 278%. 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 85281?
In ZIP code 85281, 65.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 50.1% 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 85281?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 85281 is 21.1 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 85281?
In ZIP code 85281, approximately 23.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 76.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 85281?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 85281 is 24.6% 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 85281's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 85281 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Tempe, 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.