Population & age
- Total population
- 68,623
- Median age
- 25.3
Tempe, AZ (85281)
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
Tempe, AZ (ZIP 85281) draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in below the national average at 18.5%. NCES lists 16 schools serving the area, 16 non-charter. Healthcare access and school options both run strong here, giving residents a wide menu of providers and enrollment choices nearby. Notable: median household income $55,572, fair market rent of $2,010 for a two-bedroom, and a 27.1% poverty rate (well above the ~12% US average). Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 59.0%
- Black
- 6.8%
- Asian
- 11.8%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 24.9%
- Other / multi-racial
- 19.4%
Income & housing
- Median household income
- $55,572
- Median home value
- $333,600
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 45.9%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 6.1%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 5,981(21.6%)
- Renter-occupied
- 21,734(78.4%)
- Vacant units
- 3,636
- Built (median)
- 1988
Commute
- Public transit
- 1,712(4.4%)
- Work from home
- 6,856(17.6%)
- Avg commute
- 17.3 min
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 16,305(27.1%)
- Uninsured
- 1,162(1.7%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 25,002(90.2%)
- No broadband
- 2,713(9.8%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 12,709(18.5%)
- Non-English at home
- 18,666(28.0%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$1,590
/month
1 Bed
$1,730
/month
2 Bed
$2,010
/month
3 Bed
$2,680
/month
4 Bed
$2,970
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
Data sources used on this page
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
Obesity
26.3%
6.7pp below the 33.0% national rate.
High Blood Pressure
18.5%
13.5pp below the 32.0% national rate.
Depression
21.6%
Tracks close to the 22.0% national rate.
Annual Checkup
65.6%
10.4pp below the 76.0% national rate.
Health Insurance
11.8%
Tracks close to the 13.0% national rate.
Diabetes
5.4%
5.6pp below the 11.0% national rate.
Schools in this ZIP
16 schools serve this ZIP, including 16 non-charter.
| School | Type | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASU Preparatory Academy Digital | Public | 0–12 | 4,111 |
| Tempe High School | Public | 9–12 | 1,497 |
| Student Choice High School | Alternative | 9–12 | 1,386 |
| Gililland Middle School | Public | 6–8 | 838 |
| Laird Elementary School | Public | -1–8 | 496 |
Showing top 5 by enrollment. 11 more schools serve this ZIP.
Schools listed from NCES Common Core of Data via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal.
Fresh.NCES CCD via Urban Institute EDP · Apr 27, 2026What these numbers say together
Tempe, AZ (ZIP 85281) draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in below the national average at 18.5%. NCES lists 16 schools serving the area, 16 non-charter. Healthcare access and school options both run strong here, giving residents a wide menu of providers and enrollment choices nearby. Notable: median household income $55,572, fair market rent of $2,010 for a two-bedroom, and a 27.1% poverty rate (well above the ~12% US average). Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
These two readings tell a consistent story. Strong access numbers usually correlate with denser provider networks, and a high school count signals the population base that supports them. Reading them together: a household weighing this ZIP for a multi-year stay can expect both healthcare and education infrastructure to keep pace.
- Fair market rent for a two-bedroom ($2,010/month, HUD SAFMR) represents 43% of median household income ($55,572, Census ACS) — above the 30% affordability threshold commonly used by housing experts.
- As a predominantly renter community (78% of occupied units, Census ACS), the 16 schools mapped here by NCES are especially relevant for families weighing the neighborhood.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits near the national rate at 21.6%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
Frequently Asked Questions — ZIP 85281
What is the obesity rate in ZIP 85281?
26.3%, which is 6.7 percentage points below the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the depression rate in ZIP 85281?
21.6%, which is 0.4 percentage points below the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the high blood pressure rate in ZIP 85281?
18.5%, which is 13.5 percentage points below the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
How many schools are in ZIP 85281?
16 schools serve this ZIP, including 16 public schools (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 27, 2026). No charter schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD.
Does ZIP 85281 have charter schools?
No charter schools are listed in ZIP 85281 by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
Are there high schools in ZIP 85281?
Yes, 8 high schools serve this ZIP: Asu Preparatory Academy Digital, Tempe High School, Student Choice High School, and 5 more. (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 85281?
68,623 people live in ZIP 85281, with a median age of 25.3 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the median household income in ZIP 85281?
$55,572 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 85281 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 85281, 21.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 78.4% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 85281?
In ZIP 85281, 17.6% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 4.4% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 85281?
27.1% of the population in ZIP 85281 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 85281 have broadband internet?
90.2% of households in ZIP 85281 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 85281?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), school information from NCES CCD (16 schools), and demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
How current is this data?
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. School data retrieved Apr 27, 2026 from NCES CCD. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022).
More Info topics
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Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.