Atwater, CA · standard
ZIP Code 95301
Merced County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 37,073
- 230/sq mi High-density area
- $68,349
- Median income Near-median income area
- $390,900
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 14.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Atwater pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 44th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 22%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 230
- people per sq mi
- 57%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 95301 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 95301 (Atwater, CA) rose +8.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 305.4 in 2023 to 332.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 95301 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Atwater, Merced County, California, with 37,073 residents across 161.5 square miles, a density of 230 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 95301 reports a modest median household income of $68,349 (33% below the average California ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,303. Unemployment is 11.2%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $390,900 (49% below the average California ZIP), and median rent is $1,285; owner occupancy is 56.6%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.5, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Merced County, so 95301 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 95301
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Atwater, CA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 95301.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
84 establishments
- Construction
Construction
74 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
52 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
51 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
41 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 95301, Atwater, 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
37,073
Population
161.5
Area (sq mi)
230
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 95301?
33.5
Median Age
51.6%
Male
48.4%
Female
20.7%
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?
$68,349
Median Household Income
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$32,303
Per Capita Income
19.1%
Poverty Rate
11.2%
Unemployment Rate
27.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 95301 ranks nationally
Atwater, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$68,349 44th percentile higher than 44% 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
12,831housing units
12,831
Total Housing Units
12,573
Occupied Units
258
Vacant Units
3.31
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$390,900
Median Home Value
-49% vs state ZIP avg
$1,285
Median Rent
1983
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
+8.9%
YoY Change (2024)
333
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+233%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 95301 have increased 8.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +233% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.3% | 224 |
| 2021 | +18.3% | 265 |
| 2022 | +15.4% | 306 |
| 2023 | -0.1% | 305 |
| 2024 | +8.9% | 333 |
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 486 business establishments in ZIP 95301, employing approximately 7,209 people with a combined annual payroll of $295,216,000.
486
Businesses
7,209
Employees
$295.2M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 84 | 17.3% |
| Construction | 74 | 15.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 52 | 10.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 51 | 10.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 41 | 8.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 37 | 7.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 26 | 5.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 23 | 4.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 20 | 4.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 20 | 4.1% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 14 | 2.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 7 | 1.4% |
| Information | 6 | 1.2% |
| Educational services | 3 | 0.6% |
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 95301 vs 95312 →
ZIP 95301 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 95301
Atwater (95301)
37,073 residents
- 95341
Merced (95341)
32,967 residents
- 95348
Merced (95348)
30,805 residents
- 95334
Livingston (95334)
15,457 residents
- 95388 13,074
Winton (95388)
13,074 residents
- 95315 13,018
Delhi (95315)
13,018 residents
- 95312 268
Cressey (95312)
268 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 95301 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 95301 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 95312
Cressey (95312)
$80,625 median income
- 95334
Livingston (95334)
$76,277 median income
- 95315
Delhi (95315)
$71,352 median income
- 95301
Atwater (95301)
$68,349 median income
- 95348
Merced (95348)
$64,944 median income
- 95388
Winton (95388)
$57,493 median income
- 95341
Merced (95341)
$57,342 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 95301 ranks #4 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 95301, 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 (37,073 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Merced County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 95301 in?
ZIP code 95301 (Atwater) is located in Merced County, California. Merced County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/merced-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 95301?
ZIP code 95301 in Atwater, CA has a population of 37,073 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 95301?
The median household income in ZIP 95301 is $68,349, which is 10% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 95301?
The median home value in ZIP 95301 is $390,900, which is 41% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 95301?
The largest racial group in ZIP 95301 is White at 38.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 55.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 95301?
ZIP code 95301 has 486 business establishments employing approximately 7,209 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 95301?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 95301 are: Retail trade (84), Construction (74), Accommodation and food services (52). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 95301?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 95301 increased by 8.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 233%. 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 95301?
In ZIP code 95301, 45.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.7% 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 95301?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 95301 is 27.1 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 95301?
In ZIP code 95301, approximately 56.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 43.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 95301?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 95301 is 19.1% 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 95301's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 95301 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Atwater, 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.