ZIP Code 06516: Population, Income, Housing

State: CT

Total population: 55,351 Household income: $74,382 Rent: $1,442

Overview

Total population

55,351

Rent

$1,442

Year built

1959

Household income

$74,382

Per capita income

$35,740

Poverty rate

14.1%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.5 persons

Rent over 30% of income

50.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Connecticut

County

New Haven County

City

West Haven

Total population

55,351

Adults over 25

35,839

Total households

20,938

Household size

2.5 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$74,382

Per capita income

$35,740

Poverty rate

14.1%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

50.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,442

Year built

1959

Households that rent

49.4%

Households that own

50.6%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.0

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

47.2%

Black

20.9%

Asian

5.6%

Two or more races

11.7%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

27.4%

Not Hispanic or Latino

72.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

23,799 (90.8%)

Commute time to work

23 mins

Work from home

2,409 (9.2%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

27.7%

High school graduate or GED

32.9%

Some college or associate degree

8.8%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

30.5%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 06516 with: West Haven, CT New Haven metro area, CT Connecticut United States

ZIP 06516

Total population55,351

Rent$1,442

Year built1959

Household income$74,382

Per capita income$35,740

Poverty rate14.1%

Unemployment rateN/A

West Haven, CT

Total population55,351

Rent$1,442

Year built1959

Household income$74,382

Per capita income$35,740

Poverty rate14.1%

Unemployment rate3%

New Haven Metro Area, CT

Total population570,598

Rent$1,525

Year built1964

Household income$88,197

Per capita income$49,766

Poverty rate11.4%

Unemployment rate3.2%

Connecticut State

Total population3,624,508

Rent$1,488

Year built1967

Household income$95,781

Per capita income$55,915

Poverty rate10%

Unemployment rate3.2%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP06516	CityWest Haven, CT	Metro AreaNew Haven metro area, CT	StateConnecticut	CountryUnited States
Total population	55,351	55,351	570,598	3,624,508	334,922,499
Rent	$1,442	$1,442	$1,525	$1,488	$1,413
Year built	1959	1959	1964	1967	1980
Household income	$74,382	$74,382	$88,197	$95,781	$80,734
Per capita income	$35,740	$35,740	$49,766	$55,915	$44,673
Poverty rate	14.1%	14.1%	11.4%	10%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3%	3.2%	3.2%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 06516

Rent & Income

In 06516, the typical monthly rent is $1,442 and the typical household income is $74,382. Rent here is similar to both West Haven and Connecticut, and household income is similar to West Haven and lower than Connecticut. The estimated poverty rate is 14.1%, which is similar to the West Haven rate and higher than the Connecticut rate.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 49.4% of households, indicating a relatively balanced mix of renters and owners. About 50.8% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 30.5% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 06516 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 06516 — Poverty

How ZIP 06516 compares in Connecticut (29 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,442	13 / 29	from lower rent	$1,169 – $2,266
Household income	$74,382	19 / 29	from higher income	$46,304 – $193,300
Poverty rate	14.1%	20 / 29	from lower poverty	4% – 31.8%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Connecticut with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 06516

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 13th out of 29 ZIP Codes in Connecticut. Across Connecticut, figures vary from $1,169 in ZIP 06790 up to $2,266 in ZIP 06611.

Household income

When comparing household incomes, ZIP Code 06516 stands 19th out of 29 ZIP Codes. Throughout Connecticut, numbers span from $46,304 in ZIP 06106 up to $193,300 in ZIP 06824.

Poverty rate

Looking at poverty indicators, this ZIP stands 20th out of 29 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from 4% in ZIP 06489 up to 31.8% in ZIP 06704.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 06516 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,442 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 06516

Annual Household Income: $74,382

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 06516

Estimated Rate: 14.1%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 06516

In ZIP Code 06516, households that rent: 10,348 (49.4%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	10,348	49.4%
Owner-Occupied	10,590	50.6%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 06516

In ZIP Code 06516, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 5,259 (50.8%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	5,259	50.8%
Other renter households	5,089	49.2%
Total renter households	10,348	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 06516

Less than High School: 9,938 people (27.7%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 11,808 people (32.9%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,171 people (8.8%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 10,922 people (30.5%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 35,839

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.