ZIP Code 94538: Population, Income, Housing

State: CA

Total population: 67,781 Household income: $147,301 Rent: $2,860

Overview

Total population

67,781

Rent

$2,860

Year built

1979

Household income

$147,301

Per capita income

$63,191

Poverty rate

5.5%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.8 persons

Rent over 30% of income

43.5%

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).

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

California

County

Alameda County

City

Fremont

Total population

67,781

Adults over 25

48,922

Total households

23,628

Household size

2.8 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

$147,301

Per capita income

$63,191

Poverty rate

5.5%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

43.5%

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).

Housing

Rent

$2,860

Year built

1979

Households that rent

55.3%

Households that own

44.7%

Rooms per home (all homes)

4.1

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).

Race

White

16.5%

Black

3.7%

Asian

58.2%

Two or more races

7.3%

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).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

18.9%

Not Hispanic or Latino

81.1%

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).

Commute

Commute rate

24,894 (70.9%)

Commute time to work

29 mins

Work from home

10,206 (29.1%)

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).

Education

Less than high school

19.4%

High school graduate or GED

16.8%

Some college or associate degree

8.9%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

54.8%

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).

Comparison of ZIP Code 94538 with: Alameda County, CA Fremont, CA San Francisco metro area, CA California United States

ZIP 94538

Total population67,781

Rent$2,860

Year built1979

Household income$147,301

Per capita income$63,191

Poverty rate5.5%

Unemployment rateN/A

Alameda County, CA

Total population1,649,473

Rent$2,357

Year built1969

Household income$129,367

Per capita income$65,862

Poverty rate9.2%

Unemployment rate4.3%

Fremont, CA

Total population228,295

Rent$2,933

Year built1979

Household income$181,506

Per capita income$77,049

Poverty rate5.2%

Unemployment rate4.1%

San Francisco Metro Area, CA

Total population4,645,029

Rent$2,474

Year built1968

Household income$136,027

Per capita income$74,352

Poverty rate8.9%

Unemployment rate4.2%

California State

Total population39,287,377

Rent$2,036

Year built1976

Household income$99,122

Per capita income$49,513

Poverty rate12%

Unemployment rate5.3%

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	ZIP94538	CountyAlameda, CA	CityFremont, CA	Metro AreaSan Francisco metro area, CA	StateCalifornia	CountryUnited States
Total population	67,781	1,649,473	228,295	4,645,029	39,287,377	334,922,499
Rent	$2,860	$2,357	$2,933	$2,474	$2,036	$1,413
Year built	1979	1969	1979	1968	1976	1980
Household income	$147,301	$129,367	$181,506	$136,027	$99,122	$80,734
Per capita income	$63,191	$65,862	$77,049	$74,352	$49,513	$44,673
Poverty rate	5.5%	9.2%	5.2%	8.9%	12%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	4.3%	4.1%	4.2%	5.3%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 94538

Rent & Income

In 94538, the typical monthly rent is $2,860 and the typical household income is $147,301. Rent here is similar to Fremont and higher than California, and household income is lower than Fremont and higher than California. The estimated poverty rate is 5.5%, which is higher than the Fremont rate but lower than the California rate.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 55.3% of households, making this a predominantly renter area. About 43.5% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 54.8% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 94538 — Poverty

How ZIP 94538 compares in California (613 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$2,860	550 / 613	from lower rent	$1,054 – $3,501
Household income	$147,301	70 / 613	from higher income	$35,378 – $250,001
Poverty rate	5.5%	56 / 613	from lower poverty	2.2% – 39.6%

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

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 94538

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 550th out of 613 ZIP Codes in California. At the state level, values extend from $1,054 in ZIP 92243 up to $3,501 in ZIP 90275.

Household income

Looking at income levels, ZIP Code 94538 holds the 70th out of 613 ZIP Codes. In California as a whole, the range goes from $35,378 in ZIP 90007 up to $250,001 in ZIP 95070.

Poverty rate

Regarding poverty rate, ZIP Code 94538 ranks 56th out of 613 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from 2.2% in ZIP 95120 up to 39.6% in ZIP 90007.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 94538 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $2,860 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 94538

Annual Household Income: $147,301

💡 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 94538

Estimated Rate: 5.5%

💡 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 94538

In ZIP Code 94538, households that rent: 13,057 (55.3%)

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

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	13,057	55.3%
Owner-Occupied	10,571	44.7%

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 94538

In ZIP Code 94538, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 5,681 (43.5%)

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

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	5,681	43.5%
Other renter households	7,376	56.5%
Total renter households	13,057	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 94538

Less than High School: 9,508 people (19.4%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 8,228 people (16.8%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 4,367 people (8.9%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 26,819 people (54.8%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 48,922

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.