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 High-density area
- $133,734
- Median income Above-median income area
- $1,148,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 48.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 94542 (Hayward, CA) fell -13.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 340.1 in 2023 to 294.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average California ZIP), while per-capita income is $63,119. The poverty rate is 7.6%, with unemployment at 8.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $1,148,000 (49% above the average California ZIP), while 72.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $2,676.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Alameda County, so 94542 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 94542
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hayward, CA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 94542.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
37 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
22 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
22 establishments
- Construction
Construction
18 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
17 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 94542?
43.1
Median Age
51.5%
Male
48.5%
Female
35.8%
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?
$133,734
Median Household Income
+32% vs state ZIP avg
$63,119
Per Capita Income
7.6%
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Unemployment Rate
35.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 94542 ranks among California ZIPs
Hayward, CA household income vs. every California ZIP code
Median household income among 1,583 reporting California ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$133,734 Top 19% higher than 81% of 1,583 California ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more California 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
5,201housing units
5,201
Total Housing Units
4,936
Occupied Units
265
Vacant Units
2.75
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$1,148,000
Median Home Value
+49% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 94544
Hayward (94544)
73,026 residents
- 94587
Union City (94587)
69,516 residents
- 94536
Fremont (94536)
68,790 residents
- 94541
Hayward (94541)
61,635 residents
- 94560
Newark (94560)
42,573 residents
- 94546
Castro Valley (94546)
42,209 residents
- 94578
San Leandro (94578)
38,558 residents
- 94545
Hayward (94545)
29,707 residents
- 94580 27,152
San Lorenzo (94580)
27,152 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 94542 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 94542 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 94552
Castro Valley (94552)
$212,605 median income
- 94560
Newark (94560)
$169,064 median income
- 94536
Fremont (94536)
$167,662 median income
- 94542
Hayward (94542)
$133,734 median income
- 94587
Union City (94587)
$133,715 median income
- 94546
Castro Valley (94546)
$128,385 median income
- 94545
Hayward (94545)
$114,356 median income
- 94580
San Lorenzo (94580)
$110,729 median income
- 94544
Hayward (94544)
$107,785 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 94542, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (12,717 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Alameda County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 94542's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 94542 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Hayward, CA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.