PlainZIP

Fremont, CA · standard

ZIP Code 94538

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

61,148
1,433/sq mi
$147,301
Median income
$1,136,600
Median home value
54.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Fremont pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure and unusually populous area.

Top 4%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 2%
home value, US ZIPs
1,433
people per sq mi
45%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 94538 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 94538 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fremont, Alameda County, California, with 61,148 residents across 42.7 square miles, a density of 1,433 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 94538 skews affluent, with a median household income of $147,301 (45% above the California average), while per-capita income is $63,191. Poverty here runs at 5.5%, with unemployment measured at 4.3%. Housing costs here run $1,136,600 for a typical home value (47% above the state average), with rent averaging $2,860 a month; 44.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 54.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.7, and the average commute is 29 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 94538, plus 6 more within Alameda County, give a clearer read than the 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 94538

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fremont, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 94538.

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 94538, Fremont, CA · 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

61,148

Population

42.7

Area (sq mi)

1,433

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

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 94538?

36.7

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

51.8%

Foreign-Born

White 16.5%
African American 3.7%
Asian 58.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.3%
Hispanic or Latino 18.9%

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?

$147,301

Median Household Income

+45% vs state

$63,191

Per Capita Income

5.5%

Poverty Rate

4.3%

Unemployment Rate

29.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 94538 ranks nationally

Fremont, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$147,301 Top 4% higher than 96% 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%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 71.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 54.8%

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

What does housing look like?

24,854

Total Housing Units

23,628

Occupied Units

1,226

Vacant Units

2.82

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 44.7%
Renter 55.3%

$1,136,600

Median Home Value

+47% vs state

$2,860

Median Rent

1979

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

+12.8%

YoY Change (2024)

431

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+331%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 94538 have increased 12.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +331% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.2% 281
2021 +7.5% 302
2022 +10.7% 334
2023 +14.3% 382
2024 +12.8% 431

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 2,749 business establishments in ZIP 94538, employing approximately 93,523 people with a combined annual payroll of $14,386,099,000.

2,749

Businesses

93,523

Employees

$14.4B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 458 16.7%
Health care and social assistance 401 14.6%
Accommodation and food services 264 9.6%
Wholesale trade 261 9.5%
Retail trade 251 9.1%
Manufacturing 197 7.2%
Other services (except public administration) 176 6.4%
Construction 158 5.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 122 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 105 3.8%
Finance and insurance 104 3.8%
Transportation and warehousing 94 3.4%
Information 55 2.0%
Educational services 53 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 27 1.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 19 0.7%

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 94538 vs 94539 →

ZIP 94538 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 94538 ranks #4 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 94538 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 94538 ranks #9 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
94539 Fremont, CA 50,031 2.9 mi
94560 Newark, CA 42,573 3.8 mi
94536 Fremont, CA 68,790 4.7 mi
95134 San Jose, CA 15,268 5.5 mi
95002 Alviso, CA 2,077 5.0 mi
95054 Santa Clara, CA 23,364 7.8 mi
94089 Sunnyvale, CA 19,245 7.1 mi
95035 Milpitas, CA 66,943 6.5 mi
94587 Union City, CA 69,516 7.3 mi
94555 Fremont, CA 34,143 7.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Alameda County

94544 standard
Hayward, CA
Pop: 73,026
94587 standard
Union City, CA
Pop: 69,516
94536 standard
Fremont, CA
Pop: 68,790
94541 standard
Hayward, CA
Pop: 61,635
94501 standard
Alameda, CA
Pop: 60,212
94601 standard
Oakland, CA
Pop: 50,294

Related Areas

Alameda County Fremont, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 94538 in? ▼
ZIP code 94538 (Fremont) is located in Alameda County, California. Alameda County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/alameda-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 94538? ▼
ZIP code 94538 in Fremont, CA has a population of 61,148 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 94538? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 94538 is $147,301, which is 93% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 94538? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 94538 is $1,136,600, which is 309% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 94538? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 94538 is Asian at 58.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 18.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 94538? ▼
ZIP code 94538 has 2,749 business establishments employing approximately 93,523 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 94538? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 94538 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (458), Health care and social assistance (401), Accommodation and food services (264). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 94538? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 94538 increased by 12.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 331%. 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 94538? ▼
In ZIP code 94538, 71.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 54.8% 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 94538? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 94538 is 29.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 94538? ▼
In ZIP code 94538, approximately 44.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 55.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 94538? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 94538 is 5.5% 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.