Cave Junction, OR · standard

ZIP Code 97523

Josephine County, Oregon — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 15, 2026

6,264
14/sq mi: $47,589
Median income: $329,800
Median home value: 19.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Cave Junction pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

12th pct
household income, US ZIPs: Top 29%
home value, US ZIPs: 14
people per sq mi: 79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 97523 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 97523 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 438.0 square miles in Cave Junction, Josephine County, Oregon. The area is home to 6,264 residents, producing a population density of 14 people per square mile, and falls within the Los Angeles time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 97523 against Oregon and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 97523 sits at $47,589 (39% below the Oregon average), while per-capita income is $29,412. The poverty rate stands at 23.3% and the unemployment rate at 13.4%. On housing, the median home value is $329,800 (24% below the state average) with median rent at $1,372 per month, and 79.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 97523 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 19.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.5, and the average commute is —. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Josephine County, so you can benchmark 97523 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 97523

Retail trade

23
Accommodation and food services

19
Other services (except public administration)

9
Construction

8
Manufacturing

7

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 97523, Cave Junction, OR · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-15 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

6,264

Population

438.0

Area (sq mi)

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 97523?

42.5

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

5.3%

Foreign-Born

White 89.0%

African American 1.1%

Asian 0.8%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 7.4%

Hispanic or Latino 6.2%

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?

$47,589

Median Household Income

-39% vs state

$29,412

Per Capita Income

23.3%

Poverty Rate

13.4%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 97523 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$47,589 12th percentile higher than 12% 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 54.2%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.2%

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

What does housing look like?

3,678

Total Housing Units

3,121

Occupied Units

557

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 79.2%

Renter 20.8%

$329,800

Median Home Value

-24% vs state

$1,372

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

+18.9%

YoY Change (2024)

331

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+231%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 97523 have increased 18.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +231% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+3.4%	239
2021	+20.0%	287
2022	+18.0%	338
2023	-17.6%	279
2024	+18.9%	331

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 118 business establishments in ZIP 97523, employing approximately 993 people with a combined annual payroll of $30,970,000.

118

Businesses

993

Employees

$31.0M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Retail trade	23	19.5%
Accommodation and food services	19	16.1%
Other services (except public administration)	9	7.6%
Construction	8	6.8%
Manufacturing	7	5.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	7	5.9%
Health care and social assistance	7	5.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	6	5.1%
Educational services	6	5.1%
Information	5	4.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing	5	4.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	5	4.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	3	2.5%

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 97523 vs 97531 →

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
97531	Kerby, OR	522	7.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Josephine County

Josephine County Cave Junction, OR Oregon

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 97523 in? ▼

ZIP code 97523 (Cave Junction) is located in Josephine County, Oregon. Josephine County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/josephine-or.

What is the population of ZIP code 97523? ▼

ZIP code 97523 in Cave Junction, OR has a population of 6,264 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 97523? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 97523 is $47,589, which is 38% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 97523? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 97523 is $329,800, which is 19% above the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 97523? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 97523 is White at 89.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.2% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 97523? ▼

ZIP code 97523 has 118 business establishments employing approximately 993 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 97523? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 97523 are: Retail trade (23), Accommodation and food services (19), Other services (except public administration) (9). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 97523? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 97523 increased by 18.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 231%. 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 97523? ▼

In ZIP code 97523, 54.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).

What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 97523? ▼

In ZIP code 97523, approximately 79.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 97523? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 97523 is 23.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.