PlainZIP

Hayward, CA · standard

ZIP Code 94542

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

12,717
861/sq mi
$133,734
Median income
$1,148,000
Median home value
48.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Hayward pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 6%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 2%
home value, US ZIPs
861
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 94542 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 94542 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hayward, Alameda County, California, home to 12,717 residents across 14.8 square miles, a density of 861 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 94542 skews affluent, with a median household income of $133,734 (32% above the California average), while per-capita income is $63,119. The poverty rate stands at 7.6% and the unemployment rate at 8.1%. The typical home here is valued at $1,148,000 (49% above the state average); renters pay a median of $2,676 monthly, and 72.6% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 48.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.1, and the average commute is 35 minutes. To put 94542 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Alameda County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 94542

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hayward, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 94542.

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 94542, Hayward, 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

12,717

Population

14.8

Area (sq mi)

861

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 94542?

43.1

Median Age

51.5%

Male

48.5%

Female

35.8%

Foreign-Born

White 27.6%
African American 11.0%
Asian 24.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.9%
Two or More Ethnicities 17.0%
Hispanic or Latino 31.0%

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?

$133,734

Median Household Income

+32% vs state

$63,119

Per Capita Income

7.6%

Poverty Rate

8.1%

Unemployment Rate

35.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 94542 ranks nationally

Hayward, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$133,734 Top 6% higher than 94% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 64.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 48.6%

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

What does housing look like?

5,201

Total Housing Units

4,936

Occupied Units

265

Vacant Units

2.75

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.6%
Renter 27.4%

$1,148,000

Median Home Value

+49% vs state

$2,676

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

-13.5%

YoY Change (2024)

294

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+194%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 94542 have decreased 13.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +194% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.1% 225
2021 +11.4% 250
2022 +14.7% 287
2023 +18.4% 340
2024 -13.5% 294

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 172 business establishments in ZIP 94542, employing approximately 2,216 people with a combined annual payroll of $78,993,000.

172

Businesses

2,216

Employees

$79.0M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 37 21.5%
Health care and social assistance 22 12.8%
Accommodation and food services 22 12.8%
Construction 18 10.5%
Other services (except public administration) 17 9.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 8.1%
Transportation and warehousing 8 4.7%
Educational services 7 4.1%
Wholesale trade 6 3.5%
Retail trade 6 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 2.9%
Finance and insurance 3 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 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 94542 vs 94544 →

ZIP 94542 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 94542 ranks #0 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 94542 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 94542 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
94544 Hayward, CA 73,026 2.1 mi
94541 Hayward, CA 61,635 2.8 mi
94552 Castro Valley, CA 14,454 3.8 mi
94587 Union City, CA 69,516 4.0 mi
94546 Castro Valley, CA 42,209 4.5 mi
94580 San Lorenzo, CA 27,152 5.4 mi
94545 Hayward, CA 29,707 5.5 mi
94578 San Leandro, CA 38,558 5.8 mi
94536 Fremont, CA 68,790 6.7 mi
94560 Newark, CA 42,573 9.6 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
94538 standard
Fremont, CA
Pop: 61,148
94501 standard
Alameda, CA
Pop: 60,212

Related Areas

Alameda County Hayward, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 94542 in? ▼
ZIP code 94542 (Hayward) 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 94542? ▼
ZIP code 94542 in Hayward, CA has a population of 12,717 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 94542? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 94542 is $133,734, which is 75% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 94542? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 94542 is $1,148,000, which is 313% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 94542? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 94542 is White at 27.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 31.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 94542? ▼
ZIP code 94542 has 172 business establishments employing approximately 2,216 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 94542? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 94542 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (37), Health care and social assistance (22), Accommodation and food services (22). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 94542? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 94542 decreased by 13.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 194%. 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 94542? ▼
In ZIP code 94542, 64.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 48.6% 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 94542? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 94542 is 35.4 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 94542? ▼
In ZIP code 94542, approximately 72.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 94542? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 94542 is 7.6% 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.