08638 ZIP Code — Trenton, NJ

Mercer County, New Jersey

ZIP code 08638 is located in Trenton, New Jersey, within Mercer County. It covers approximately 5.43 square miles and serves a population of 23,804 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 609.

About ZIP code 08638

The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $209,800. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 59%.

Median household income is $66,194. Poverty affects 21% of residents, above the national average. 34% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 27 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 28% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 08638 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

23,804

population

5.43

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

08638 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 08638

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 08638. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Trenton	Acceptable
Trenton	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

08618 Trenton (1.5 mi) 08609 Trenton (2.3 mi) 08608 Trenton (2.6 mi) 08695 Trenton (2.8 mi) 08646 Trenton (2.8 mi) 08645 Trenton (2.8 mi) 08666 Trenton (2.8 mi) 08647 Trenton (2.8 mi) 08629 Trenton (2.9 mi) 08648 Lawrence Township (2.9 mi) 08628 Trenton (3.2 mi) 08619 Trenton (3.3 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	23,804
Population density	4,384 / sq mi
State FIPS	34
County FIPS	021

Geography
Land area	5.43 sq mi
Water area	0.02 sq mi
Latitude	40.2562
Longitude	-74.7585
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	609

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	43.5%	30.6%	30.2%
$50k – $100k	30.2%	25.8%	26.7%
$100k – $200k	23.0%	28.0%	28.3%
Over $200k	3.4%	15.6%	14.8%

Demographics & statistics

23,804

Population

4,384

People per sq mi

36.1

Median age

$66,194

Median household income

$31,647

Per capita income

$209,800

Median home value

$1,507

Median monthly rent

58.5%

Home ownership

21.1%

Poverty rate

6.7%

Unemployment

6,350

Housing units

28.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

486

Under 5

539

557

5–9

618

676

10–14

749

847

15–19

940

1,238

20–24

1,372

1,604

25–34

1,779

1,514

35–44

1,678

1,462

45–54

1,620

612

55–59

679

645

60–64

715

1,077

65–74

1,193

328

75–84

364

243

85+

269

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	4,582	19.2%
18 and over	19,222	80.8%
65 and over	3,474	14.6%
Median age	36.1 years

Race & ethnicity

Black or African American 39.7%

White 36.9%

Hispanic or Latino 9.8%

Other race 7.1%

Two or more races 4.9%

Asian 1.2%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%

Group	Count	%
Black or African American	10,485	39.7%
White	9,739	36.9%
Hispanic or Latino	2,587	9.8%
Other race	1,862	7.1%
Two or more races	1,297	4.9%
Asian	312	1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	109	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	43.5%	30.6%	30.2%
$50k – $100k	30.2%	25.8%	26.7%
$100k – $200k	23.0%	28.0%	28.3%
Over $200k	3.4%	15.6%	14.8%

Under $10k 13.6%

$10k–$15k 4.6%

$15k–$25k 6.8%

$25k–$35k 4.6%

$35k–$50k 9.5%

$50k–$75k 15.1%

$75k–$100k 14.7%

$100k–$150k 17.9%

$150k–$200k 7.9%

$200k+ 5.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	13.6%
$10k–$15k	4.6%
$15k–$25k	6.8%
$25k–$35k	4.6%
$35k–$50k	9.5%
$50k–$75k	15.1%
$75k–$100k	14.7%
$100k–$150k	17.9%
$150k–$200k	7.9%
$200k+	5.3%
Median income	$66,194

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 4.0%

$50k–$100k 16.6%

$100k–$150k 10.1%

$150k–$200k 15.5%

$200k–$300k 32.9%

$300k–$500k 19.3%

$500k–$1M 0.8%

$1M+ 0.8%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$209,800
Median rent / month	$1,507
Owner occupied	58.5%
Renter occupied	41.5%
Vacant	12.7%
Single-family detached	46.0%
Large apartment buildings	15.2%
Mobile homes	0.1%
Median rooms	5.6
Avg household size (owned)	2.66

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.4%
2010–2019	9.6%
2000–2009	6.6%
1990–1999	1.8%
1980–1989	7.0%
1970–1979	5.5%
1960–1969	12.1%
1950–1959	17.9%
1940–1949	11.7%
1939 or earlier	27.5%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.2%
1 bedroom	13.0%
2 bedrooms	27.9%
3 bedrooms	40.7%
4 bedrooms	15.4%
5+ bedrooms	0.9%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	17.8%
1 vehicle	37.6%
2 vehicles	26.4%
3 or more	18.2%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	72.7%
Electricity	16.1%
Propane / LP gas	0.9%
Fuel oil	9.9%
Solar	0.1%
No fuel used	0.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	2,628	30.2%
Cohabiting couple	673	7.7%
Male householder, no spouse	1,665	19.1%
Female householder, no spouse	3,732	42.9%
Households with children under 18	2,282	26.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	2,679	30.8%
Average household size	2.59

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	56.2%	45.0%
Married	32.1%	26.4%
Separated	1.5%	5.2%
Widowed	2.9%	10.8%
Divorced	7.2%	12.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.4%

Some HS, no diploma 7.4%

HS graduate 35.9%

Some college, no degree 17.9%

Associate's degree 6.4%

Bachelor's degree 18.1%

Graduate / professional 10.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	88.3%
Bachelor's or higher	28.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	296	4.2%
Kindergarten	239	3.4%
Elementary school	2,146	30.4%
High school	1,370	19.4%
College / grad school	3,006	42.6%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 30.7%

Retail trade 11.1%

Public administration 10.6%

Professional & management 9.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.2%

Manufacturing 6.0%

Other services 5.4%

Construction 4.9%

Transportation & utilities 4.7%

Finance & real estate 4.2%

Information 2.5%

Wholesale trade 2.3%

Agriculture & mining 0.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	36.4%
Service	23.2%
Sales & office	20.4%
Natural resources & construction	7.5%
Production & transportation	12.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	75.8%
Government	20.3%
Self-employed	3.9%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	69.1%
Carpool	11.7%
Public transit	7.7%
Walk	2.6%
Work from home	7.5%
Other means	1.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	27.2

Poverty

All people 21.1%

Under 18 years 21.8%

18 and over 20.9%

Married-couple families 3.5%

Female-led households 20.5%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	34.2%
Retirement income	23.3%
Supplemental Security	7.8%
Cash public assistance	1.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	10.9%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.1%
High blood pressure	0.0%
High cholesterol	0.0%
Diabetes	12.3%
Heart disease	6.4%
Stroke	3.8%
Asthma	11.2%
Arthritis	23.5%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	6.8%
Cancer	5.7%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	18.1%
Binge drinking	14.6%
No physical activity	26.4%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	38.8%
Depression	18.3%
Fair or poor health	17.3%
Poor mental health	15.9%
Poor physical health	10.8%
No health insurance	19.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	77.3%
Visited dentist	55.8%
Cholesterol screening	0.0%
Teeth loss	16.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	861	4.5%

Disability	%
Any disability	11.9%
Under 18	4.3%
18–64 years	11.3%
65 and over	24.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	66.7%
Public insurance	37.5%
No insurance	10.2%
Uninsured under 19	4.3%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	22,779	95.7%
Spanish	2,388	10.5%
Other Indo-European	1,707	7.5%
Asian & Pacific Islander	497	2.2%
Other languages	106	0.5%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	18,871	79.3%
Born in same state	17,837	74.9%
Born in different state	13,504	56.7%
Foreign born	1,034	4.3%
Naturalized citizen	4,933	20.7%
Not a US citizen	2,428	49.2%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	1,965	8.3%
French	860	3.6%
Arab	352	1.5%
English	223	0.9%
Irish	118	0.5%

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	34	0.1%
Norwegian	32	0.1%
German	8	0%
Dutch	4	0%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	36.5%
Internet access	87.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 08638

What city is ZIP code 08638 in?

ZIP code 08638 is primarily assigned to Trenton, New Jersey.

What county is ZIP code 08638 in?

ZIP code 08638 falls within Mercer County, New Jersey.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08638?

21% of residents in ZIP code 08638 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the population of ZIP code 08638?

ZIP code 08638 has an estimated population of 23,804 residents, with a density of 4,386 people per square mile.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 08638?

The median home value in ZIP code 08638 is $209,800.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 08638?

The median household income in ZIP code 08638 is $66,194, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 08638 in?

ZIP code 08638 observes the EST timezone.