Comments on: You Are Your Zipcode

By: Will S.

Will S. — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:58:06 +0000

The problem with most ZIP code demographics tools is that the only reliable data they can use are Census 2000 data, which is pretty darn old. Although incomes may have increased significantly over the last decade, the "relative" rankings between ZIP codes have remained mostly unchanged. So a ZIP code that was ranked in the top 1% of the country 10 years ago most likely remains in the top 1% today. There are exceptions, of course, such as areas affected by Hurricane Katrina for example. If you're interested in ZIP code demographics, you might want to check out ZipWho.com. That site gives a nationwide percentile ranking in addition to the raw median income dollar amounts. You can supply different search criteria like: Give me the list of all California neighborhoods with median income over $100k, with at least half its residents being college graduates, at least 5% Hispanic, and median age between 35 and 45.

By: primadonnamama

primadonnamama — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:48:03 +0000

I agree. It’s dated. If you put in 30030, you get a variety of childless categories. That may have been true a while ago, but not now…

By: decaturite

decaturite — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:15:53 +0000

Yeah Sheila…early 00s at the latest. And I agree with you about income levels…the “young influentials” in this town make a lot more than $47k per HH.

By: Sheila

Sheila — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:48:52 +0000

I’ve worked with Prism data professionally and IMHO, I think it’s quite dated– seems like it has a bad case of the 90s. Its behavior examples are indicative of that– Houlihans and Range Rovers? Very 90’s. Note too that the income levels are a little skewed towards 10 years ago. If I were guessing on 30030, I’d say “Money and Brains” and “Young Digerti” are well reperesented. Just my 2 cents.