PlainZIP

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
$59,492
Median income
$210,600
Median home value
22.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $34,371. 8.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 1.7%. On housing, the median home value is $210,600 (19% below the state average) with median rent at $1,096 per month, and 89.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

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. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Granville County, so you can benchmark 27581 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 27581?

35.9

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

4.7%

Foreign-Born

White 68.8%
African American 16.3%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.2%

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

$34,371

Per Capita Income

8.3%

Poverty Rate

1.7%

Unemployment Rate

29.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27581 ranks nationally

Stem, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$59,492 28th percentile higher than 28% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 57.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,514

Total Housing Units

1,421

Occupied Units

93

Vacant Units

2.72

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 89.2%
Renter 10.8%

$210,600

Median Home Value

-19% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27581 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 27581 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
27509 Butner, NC 10,167 5.6 mi
27522 Creedmoor, NC 12,335 7.3 mi
27503 Bahama, NC 3,471 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Granville County

27565 standard
Oxford, NC
Pop: 25,255
27522 standard
Creedmoor, NC
Pop: 12,335
27509 standard
Butner, NC
Pop: 10,167
27572 standard
Rougemont, NC
Pop: 6,546
27507 standard
Bullock, NC
Pop: 1,929
27582 standard
Stovall, NC
Pop: 289

Related Areas

Granville County Stem, NC North Carolina

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.