Stem, NC · standard
ZIP Code 27581
Granville County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,049
- 34/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $59,492
- Median income Below-median income area
- $210,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 22.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Stem pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 28th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 47th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 34
- people per sq mi
- 89%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27581 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 27581 covers 88.9 square miles in Stem, Granville County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,049 residents on file, a density of 34 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 27581 reports a modest median household income of $59,492 (14% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,371. The poverty rate is 8.3%, with unemployment at 1.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $210,600 (19% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $1,096; owner occupancy is 89.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.9, and the average commute is 30 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Granville County, so 27581 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 27581
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Stem, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27581.
- Construction
Construction
8 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
4 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
4 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
4 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 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 27581, Stem, 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
3,049
Population
88.9
Area (sq mi)
34
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 27581?
35.9
Median Age
49.6%
Male
50.4%
Female
4.7%
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?
$59,492
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$34,371
Per Capita Income
8.3%
Poverty Rate
1.7%
Unemployment Rate
29.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 27581 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Stem, 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)
$59,492 37th percentile higher than 37% 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
1,514housing units
1,514
Total Housing Units
1,421
Occupied Units
93
Vacant Units
2.72
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$210,600
Median Home Value
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$1,096
Median Rent
2003
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
-0.7%
YoY Change (2024)
231
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+131%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 27581 have decreased 0.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +131% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.7% | 135 |
| 2021 | +7.0% | 144 |
| 2022 | +35.2% | 195 |
| 2023 | +19.4% | 232 |
| 2024 | -0.7% | 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 31 business establishments in ZIP 27581, employing approximately 119 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,220,000.
31
Businesses
119
Employees
$5.2M
Annual Payroll
6
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 8 | 25.8% |
| Retail trade | 4 | 12.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 12.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 12.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 12.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 9.7% |
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 27581 vs 27509 →
ZIP 27581 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27522
Creedmoor (27522)
12,335 residents
- 27509
Butner (27509)
10,167 residents
- 27503 3,471
Bahama (27503)
3,471 residents
- 27581 3,049
Stem (27581)
3,049 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27581 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 27581 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27503
Bahama (27503)
$114,425 median income
- 27522
Creedmoor (27522)
$77,094 median income
- 27509
Butner (27509)
$73,136 median income
- 27581
Stem (27581)
$59,492 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 27581 ranks #4 of 4 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 27581, 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 (3,049 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Granville County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 27581 in?
ZIP code 27581 (Stem) is located in Granville County, North Carolina. Granville County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/granville-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27581?
ZIP code 27581 in Stem, NC has a population of 3,049 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27581?
The median household income in ZIP 27581 is $59,492, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27581?
The median home value in ZIP 27581 is $210,600, which is 24% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27581?
The largest racial group in ZIP 27581 is White at 68.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27581?
ZIP code 27581 has 31 business establishments employing approximately 119 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27581?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27581 are: Construction (8), Retail trade (4), Transportation and warehousing (4). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27581?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27581 decreased by 0.7% 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 27581?
In ZIP code 27581, 57.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.2% 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 27581?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27581 is 29.8 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 27581?
In ZIP code 27581, approximately 89.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27581?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27581 is 8.3% 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 27581's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 27581 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Stem, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.