Residential delivery area · North Carolina
ZIP Code 27520: Clayton, NC
ZIP code 27520 uses the postal name Clayton, North Carolina and lies mostly in Johnston County (96% of its land) with the rest in Wake County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 48,000 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024), the more populous of Clayton's 2 residential ZIP codes. Median household income is $86,322 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 14% of its land lies in Clayton, and 2% in smaller places; 84% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Clayton · 2 residential ZIPs
- County
- Johnston County (96%); Wake County (4%)
- Census places
- Clayton
- Neighborhoods
- Brigadoon, Country Estates, Rollingwood, Starmont, Walden GeoNames
- Metro area
- Raleigh-Cary, NC
- House district
- NC-13 119th Congress
- State
- North Carolina
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 70.8 sq mi · 678 people per sq mi
- PO Box ZIPs
- 27528 also use the name Clayton
Where is ZIP code 27520?
27520 centers on 35.612°, -78.476° and covers 70.8 square miles of land plus 0.1 of water. It borders 7 ZIP codes: 27527, 27529, 27593, 27610, 27577, 27504, 27524.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 27520, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0); neighborhoods from the GeoNames gazetteer (CC BY 4.0), placed in this ZIP code by PlainZIP.
How does 27520 compare with the rest of Clayton?
| Measure | 27520 | In Clayton | In Johnston County | In NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 48,014 | 1st of 2 | 3rd of 21 | 42nd of 853 |
| Median household income | $86k | 2nd of 2 | 4th of 18 | 101st of 528 |
| Median home value | $321k | 2nd of 2 | 5th of 19 | 163rd of 572 |
Its median household income is higher than in 69% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 75% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 27520?
The 2020 Census counted 46,478 people in 27520; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 48,014. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 27.8% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 48,014
- 2020 Census count
- 46,478+27.8% since 2010 (36,357)
- Households
- 17,819
- Median age
- 37.6
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 27520?
Of the 48,014 people the ACS estimates in 27520, 22.8% are under 18 and 12.1% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (57.1%), then Black (not Hispanic) (21.3%).
- Under 1822.8%
- 18 to 6465.1%
- 65 and older12.1%
- White, not Hispanic57.1%
- Black, not Hispanic21.3%
- Hispanic or Latino16.9%
- Other or two or more3.9%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 27520 earn?
Median household income is $86,322 (ACS 2020-2024), the 4th highest of the 18 ranked ZIP codes in Johnston County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($87,126 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $86,322
- Income per person
- $41,157
- Below the poverty line
- 6.3%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 3.7%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 33.4%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $71,53922,930 returns; wages 79% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 27520?
FHFA's house price index for 27520, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 112% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 57% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +3.5% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $320,900
- Median gross rent
- $1,605
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 74.3%
- Housing units
- 18,621
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 27520?
1,000 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 180 more than in 2018; the most are in construction (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Construction209
- Health care and social assistance122
- Retail trade111
- Other services (except public administration)94
- Accommodation and food services86
- Professional, scientific, and technical services81
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 27520?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27527 | Clayton | 39,256 | $115k | 6.1 mi |
| 27529 | Garner | 55,242 | $86k | 6.2 mi |
| 27593 | Wilsons Mills | 0 | – | 6.7 mi |
| 27610 | Raleigh | 81,419 | $68k | 10.0 mi |
| 27577 | Smithfield | 28,354 | $63k | 11.1 mi |
| 27504 | Benson | 17,079 | $67k | 14.8 mi |
| 27524 | Four Oaks | 13,999 | $76k | 16.2 mi |
| 27603 | Raleigh | 53,972 | $91k | 10.6 mi (near) |
| 27592 | Willow Spring | 21,114 | $104k | 11.6 mi (near) |
| 27545 | Knightdale | 34,163 | $92k | 11.9 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.