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 High-density area
- $86,322
- Median income Above-median income area
- $320,900
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 33.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 27520 (Clayton, NC) rose +1.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 242.5 in 2023 to 246.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 27520 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Clayton, Johnston County, North Carolina, with 36,357 residents across 189.1 square miles, a density of 192 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 27520 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,322 (25% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $41,157. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.3% and unemployment is 3.7%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $320,900 (24% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 74.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,605.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 30 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Johnston County, so 27520 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 27520
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Clayton, NC
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$41,157
Per Capita Income
6.3%
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Unemployment Rate
30.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 27520 ranks nationally
Clayton, NC 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
18,621housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 27520, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (36,357 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Johnston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 27520 in?
ZIP code 27520 (Clayton) is located in Johnston County, North Carolina. Johnston County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/johnston-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27520?
ZIP code 27520 in Clayton, NC has a population of 36,357 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27520?
The median household income in ZIP 27520 is $86,322, which is 13% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27520?
The median home value in ZIP 27520 is $320,900, which is 15% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27520?
The largest racial group in ZIP 27520 is White at 60.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 16.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27520?
ZIP code 27520 has 1,000 business establishments employing approximately 13,795 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27520?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27520 are: Construction (209), Health care and social assistance (122), Retail trade (111). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27520?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27520 increased by 1.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 146%. 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 27520?
In ZIP code 27520, 60.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.4% 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 27520?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27520 is 30.1 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 27520?
In ZIP code 27520, approximately 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27520?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27520 is 6.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 27520's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 27520 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Clayton, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.