ZIP Code 85281: Population, Income, Housing

State: AZ

Total population: 72,762 Household income: $64,538 Rent: $1,677

Overview

Total population

72,762

Rent

$1,677

Year built

1990

Household income

$64,538

Per capita income

$34,117

Poverty rate

24.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.2 persons

Rent over 30% of income

48.7%

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).

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

Arizona

County

Maricopa County

City

Tempe

Total population

72,762

Adults over 25

37,427

Total households

29,307

Household size

2.2 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

$64,538

Per capita income

$34,117

Poverty rate

24.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

48.7%

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).

Housing

Rent

$1,677

Year built

1990

Households that rent

76.3%

Households that own

23.7%

Rooms per home (all homes)

3.9

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

53%

Black

6.9%

Asian

13.2%

Two or more races

15.8%

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).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

24.7%

Not Hispanic or Latino

75.3%

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

34,823 (80.4%)

Commute time to work

21 mins

Work from home

8,511 (19.6%)

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).

Education

Less than high school

27%

High school graduate or GED

15%

Some college or associate degree

Bachelor’s degree or higher

50.1%

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 85281 with: Maricopa County, AZ Tempe, AZ Phoenix metro area, AZ Arizona United States

ZIP 85281

Total population72,762

Rent$1,677

Year built1990

Household income$64,538

Per capita income$34,117

Poverty rate24.6%

Unemployment rateN/A

Maricopa County, AZ

Total population4,559,748

Rent$1,708

Year built1993

Household income$89,300

Per capita income$46,183

Poverty rate11%

Unemployment rate3.1%

Tempe, AZ

Total population188,065

Rent$1,743

Year built1984

Household income$79,663

Per capita income$44,493

Poverty rate15.8%

Unemployment rate2.9%

Phoenix Metro Area, AZ

Total population5,028,754

Rent$1,702

Year built1994

Household income$88,301

Per capita income$45,239

Poverty rate11%

Unemployment rate3.2%

Arizona State

Total population7,378,838

Rent$1,543

Year built1992

Household income$79,964

Per capita income$42,503

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate3.6%

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	ZIP85281	CountyMaricopa, AZ	CityTempe, AZ	Metro AreaPhoenix metro area, AZ	StateArizona	CountryUnited States
Total population	72,762	4,559,748	188,065	5,028,754	7,378,838	334,922,499
Rent	$1,677	$1,708	$1,743	$1,702	$1,543	$1,413
Year built	1990	1993	1984	1994	1992	1980
Household income	$64,538	$89,300	$79,663	$88,301	$79,964	$80,734
Per capita income	$34,117	$46,183	$44,493	$45,239	$42,503	$44,673
Poverty rate	24.6%	11%	15.8%	11%	12.5%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3.1%	2.9%	3.2%	3.6%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 85281

Rent & Income

In 85281, the typical monthly rent is $1,677 and the typical household income is $64,538. Rent here is similar to Tempe and higher than Arizona, and household income is lower than both Tempe and Arizona. The estimated poverty rate is 24.6%, which is higher than in both Tempe and Arizona.

Housing & Affordability

Most households in this area are renters (76.3%), making this a heavily renter area. About 48.7% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 50.1% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 85281 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 85281 — Poverty

How ZIP 85281 compares in Arizona (118 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,677	58 / 118	from lower rent	$727 – $2,785
Household income	$64,538	94 / 118	from higher income	$37,194 – $156,425
Poverty rate	24.6%	113 / 118	from lower poverty	3.2% – 33.6%

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

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 85281

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 58th out of 118 ZIP Codes in Arizona. Across Arizona, figures vary from $727 in ZIP 85349 up to $2,785 in ZIP 85298.

Household income

When comparing household incomes, ZIP Code 85281 stands 94th out of 118 ZIP Codes. Throughout Arizona, numbers span from $37,194 in ZIP 85705 up to $156,425 in ZIP 85298.

Poverty rate

Looking at poverty indicators, this ZIP stands 113th out of 118 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from 3.2% in ZIP 85298 up to 33.6% in ZIP 85719.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 85281 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,677 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 85281

Annual Household Income: $64,538

💡 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 85281

Estimated Rate: 24.6%

💡 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 85281

In ZIP Code 85281, households that rent: 22,347 (76.3%)

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

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	22,347	76.3%
Owner-Occupied	6,960	23.7%

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 85281

In ZIP Code 85281, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 10,880 (48.7%)

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

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	10,880	48.7%
Other renter households	11,467	51.3%
Total renter households	22,347	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 85281

Less than High School: 10,102 people (27%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 5,606 people (15%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,978 people (8%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 18,741 people (50.1%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 37,427

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.