Clayton, NC · standard
ZIP Code 27527
Johnston County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,216
- 161/sq mi High-density area
- $115,035
- Median income Above-median income area
- $390,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 47.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Clayton pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 11%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 22%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 161
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27527 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 27527 (Clayton, NC) rose +1.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 228.6 in 2023 to 231.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 27527 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Clayton, Johnston County, North Carolina, home to 18,216 residents across 113.3 square miles, a density of 161 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 27527 skews affluent, with a median household income of $115,035 (66% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $50,056. The poverty rate is 9.3%, with unemployment at 3.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $390,200 (50% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 80.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,823.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 47.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.7, and the average commute is 34 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Johnston County, so 27527 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 27527
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Clayton, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27527.
- Construction
Construction
80 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
72 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
35 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 30
Health care and social assistance
30 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 28
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
28 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 27527, 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
18,216
Population
113.3
Area (sq mi)
161
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 27527?
35.7
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
6.5%
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?
$115,035
Median Household Income
+66% vs state ZIP avg
$50,056
Per Capita Income
9.3%
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Unemployment Rate
33.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 27527 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Clayton, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$115,035 Top 5% higher than 95% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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
14,294housing units
14,294
Total Housing Units
13,846
Occupied Units
448
Vacant Units
2.84
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$390,200
Median Home Value
+50% vs state ZIP avg
$1,823
Median Rent
2010
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
+1.1%
YoY Change (2024)
231
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+131%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 27527 have increased 1.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +131% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.2% | 150 |
| 2021 | +15.3% | 172 |
| 2022 | +29.7% | 224 |
| 2023 | +2.2% | 229 |
| 2024 | +1.1% | 231 |
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 400 business establishments in ZIP 27527, employing approximately 5,363 people with a combined annual payroll of $346,680,000.
400
Businesses
5,363
Employees
$346.7M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 80 | 20.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 72 | 18.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 35 | 8.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 30 | 7.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 28 | 7.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 28 | 7.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 27 | 6.8% |
| Retail trade | 26 | 6.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 22 | 5.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 16 | 4.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 1.5% |
| Information | 6 | 1.5% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.5% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 1.3% |
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 27527 vs 27591 →
ZIP 27527 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27520
Clayton (27520)
36,357 residents
- 27545
Knightdale (27545)
23,006 residents
- 27591
Wendell (27591)
19,589 residents
- 27527
Clayton (27527)
18,216 residents
- 27576
Selma (27576)
17,091 residents
- 27568 480
Pine Level (27568)
480 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27527 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 27527 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
- 27545
Knightdale (27545)
$91,527 median income
- 27520
Clayton (27520)
$86,322 median income
- 27591
Wendell (27591)
$85,224 median income
- 27576
Selma (27576)
$66,831 median income
- 27568
Pine Level (27568)
$66,071 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 27527 ranks the highest of 6 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 27527, 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 (18,216 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 27527 in?
ZIP code 27527 (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 27527?
ZIP code 27527 in Clayton, NC has a population of 18,216 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27527?
The median household income in ZIP 27527 is $115,035, which is 51% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27527?
The median home value in ZIP 27527 is $390,200, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27527?
The largest racial group in ZIP 27527 is White at 63.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27527?
ZIP code 27527 has 400 business establishments employing approximately 5,363 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27527?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27527 are: Construction (80), Professional, scientific, and technical services (72), Real estate and rental and leasing (35). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27527?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27527 increased by 1.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 131%. 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 27527?
In ZIP code 27527, 64.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 47.0% 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 27527?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27527 is 33.9 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 27527?
In ZIP code 27527, approximately 80.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27527?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27527 is 9.3% 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 27527's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 27527 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.