PlainZIP

Graham, NC · standard

ZIP Code 27253

Alamance County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

29,827
131/sq mi
$62,774
Median income
$235,800
Median home value
26.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Graham pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

34th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 46%
home value, US ZIPs
131
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27253 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 27253 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Graham, Alamance County, North Carolina, with 29,827 residents across 228.2 square miles, a density of 131 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 27253 reports a modest median household income of $62,774 (9% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $34,137. Local economic indicators show a 12.6% poverty rate alongside 5.8% unemployment. Median home value sits at $235,800 (9% below the state average), median rent at $1,041 a month, and owner-occupancy at 66.5%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.6, and the average commute is 27 minutes. To put 27253 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Alamance County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 27253

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Graham, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27253.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27253, Graham, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

29,827

Population

228.2

Area (sq mi)

131

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 27253?

39.6

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

8.6%

Foreign-Born

White 65.3%
African American 16.1%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$62,774

Median Household Income

-9% vs state

$34,137

Per Capita Income

12.6%

Poverty Rate

5.8%

Unemployment Rate

27.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27253 ranks nationally

Graham, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$62,774 34th percentile higher than 34% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 57.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

15,339

Total Housing Units

14,136

Occupied Units

1,203

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.5%
Renter 33.5%

$235,800

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$1,041

Median Rent

1989

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.3%

YoY Change (2024)

223

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+123%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 27253 have increased 3.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +123% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.1% 137
2021 +16.5% 160
2022 +21.5% 194
2023 +11.0% 216
2024 +3.3% 223

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 577 business establishments in ZIP 27253, employing approximately 6,313 people with a combined annual payroll of $295,008,000.

577

Businesses

6,313

Employees

$295.0M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 103 17.9%
Retail trade 81 14.0%
Other services (except public administration) 75 13.0%
Accommodation and food services 51 8.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 48 8.3%
Health care and social assistance 40 6.9%
Manufacturing 35 6.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 32 5.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 25 4.3%
Wholesale trade 23 4.0%
Finance and insurance 22 3.8%
Transportation and warehousing 13 2.3%
Educational services 9 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 1.4%
Information 6 1.0%
Industries not classified 3 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 27253 vs 27340 →

ZIP 27253 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27253 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 27253 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 27253 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
27340 Saxapahaw, NC 120 1.9 mi
27258 Haw River, NC 6,006 5.3 mi
27349 Snow Camp, NC 5,511 5.9 mi
27201 Alamance, NC 63 9.3 mi
27215 Burlington, NC 38,807 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Alamance County

27215 standard
Burlington, NC
Pop: 38,807
27217 standard
Burlington, NC
Pop: 36,954
27302 standard
Mebane, NC
Pop: 26,412
27244 standard
Elon, NC
Pop: 14,173
27258 standard
Haw River, NC
Pop: 6,006
27349 standard
Snow Camp, NC
Pop: 5,511

Related Areas

Alamance County Graham, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 27253 in? ▼
ZIP code 27253 (Graham) is located in Alamance County, North Carolina. Alamance County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/alamance-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27253? ▼
ZIP code 27253 in Graham, NC has a population of 29,827 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27253? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 27253 is $62,774, which is 18% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27253? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 27253 is $235,800, which is 15% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27253? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 27253 is White at 65.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27253? ▼
ZIP code 27253 has 577 business establishments employing approximately 6,313 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27253? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27253 are: Construction (103), Retail trade (81), Other services (except public administration) (75). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27253? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27253 increased by 3.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 123%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 27253? ▼
In ZIP code 27253, 57.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 27253? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27253 is 27.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27253? ▼
In ZIP code 27253, approximately 66.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27253? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27253 is 12.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.