Clayton, NC · standard
ZIP Code 27520
Johnston County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 36,357
- 192/sq mi
- $86,322
- Median income
- $320,900
- Median home value
- 33.4%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Clayton pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 31%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 30%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 192
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27520 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 27520 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 189.1 square miles in Clayton, Johnston County, North Carolina. The area is home to 36,357 residents, producing a population density of 192 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 27520 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 27520 sits at $86,322 (25% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $41,157. The poverty rate stands at 6.3% and the unemployment rate at 3.7%. On housing, the median home value is $320,900 (24% above the state average) with median rent at $1,605 per month, and 74.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 27520 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 33.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Johnston County, so you can benchmark 27520 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 27520
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27520.
- Construction
Construction
209 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
122 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
111 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
94 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
86 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27520, Clayton, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
36,357
Population
189.1
Area (sq mi)
192
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 27520?
37.6
Median Age
50.9%
Male
49.1%
Female
8.6%
Foreign-Born
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?
$86,322
Median Household Income
+25% vs state
$41,157
Per Capita Income
6.3%
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Unemployment Rate
30.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 27520 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$86,322 Top 31% higher than 69% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
18,621
Total Housing Units
17,819
Occupied Units
802
Vacant Units
2.68
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$320,900
Median Home Value
+24% vs state
$1,605
Median Rent
2002
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
+1.5%
YoY Change (2024)
246
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+146%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 27520 have increased 1.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +146% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.6% | 162 |
| 2021 | +15.8% | 187 |
| 2022 | +23.4% | 231 |
| 2023 | +4.9% | 243 |
| 2024 | +1.5% | 246 |
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 1,000 business establishments in ZIP 27520, employing approximately 13,795 people with a combined annual payroll of $757,044,000.
1,000
Businesses
13,795
Employees
$757.0M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 209 | 20.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 122 | 12.2% |
| Retail trade | 111 | 11.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 94 | 9.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 86 | 8.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 81 | 8.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 74 | 7.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 50 | 5.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 42 | 4.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 35 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 30 | 3.0% |
| Manufacturing | 23 | 2.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 15 | 1.5% |
| Information | 12 | 1.2% |
| Educational services | 10 | 1.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.3% |
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 27520 vs 27527 →
ZIP 27520 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27610
Raleigh (27610)
65,648 residents
- 27529
Garner (27529)
42,128 residents
- 27520
Clayton (27520)
36,357 residents
- 27577 22,911
Smithfield (27577)
22,911 residents
- 27527 18,216
Clayton (27527)
18,216 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27520 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 27520 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27527
Clayton (27527)
$115,035 median income
- 27520
Clayton (27520)
$86,322 median income
- 27529
Garner (27529)
$85,716 median income
- 27610
Raleigh (27610)
$67,932 median income
- 27577
Smithfield (27577)
$62,758 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 27520 ranks #2 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Johnston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 27520 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 27520? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 27520? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 27520? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27520? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27520? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27520? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27520? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 27520? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 27520? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27520? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27520? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Clayton, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.