PlainZIP

Elm City, NC · standard

ZIP Code 27822

Wilson County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

8,143
34/sq mi
$63,703
Median income
$165,600
Median home value
19.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Elm City pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

36th pct
household income, US ZIPs
32th pct
home value, US ZIPs
34
people per sq mi
84%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27822 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 27822 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Elm City, Wilson County, North Carolina, home to 8,143 residents across 236.7 square miles, a density of 34 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 27822 reports a modest median household income of $63,703 (8% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $31,979. 17.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.5%. Median home value sits at $165,600 (36% below the state average), median rent at $862 a month, and owner-occupancy at 83.6%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.2, and the average commute is 21 minutes. Beyond these figures, 5 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Wilson County, letting you compare 27822 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 27822

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Elm City, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27822.

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 27822, Elm City, 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

8,143

Population

236.7

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 27822?

44.2

Median Age

45.9%

Male

54.1%

Female

1.3%

Foreign-Born

White 61.9%
African American 34.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.1%

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?

$63,703

Median Household Income

-8% vs state

$31,979

Per Capita Income

17.0%

Poverty Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

20.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27822 ranks nationally

Elm City, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,703 36th percentile higher than 36% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 58.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.9%

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

What does housing look like?

3,347

Total Housing Units

3,093

Occupied Units

254

Vacant Units

2.53

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 83.6%
Renter 16.4%

$165,600

Median Home Value

-36% vs state

$862

Median Rent

1987

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

-1.4%

YoY Change (2024)

209

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+109%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 27822 have decreased 1.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +109% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.5% 133
2021 +13.4% 151
2022 +13.4% 171
2023 +24.2% 212
2024 -1.4% 209

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 107 business establishments in ZIP 27822, employing approximately 742 people with a combined annual payroll of $34,834,000.

107

Businesses

742

Employees

$34.8M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 22 20.6%
Other services (except public administration) 18 16.8%
Retail trade 12 11.2%
Wholesale trade 11 10.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 10.3%
Transportation and warehousing 7 6.5%
Manufacturing 5 4.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 4.7%
Accommodation and food services 4 3.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 2.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 2.8%
Health care and social assistance 3 2.8%

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 27822 vs 27878 →

ZIP 27822 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 27822 ranks #5 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 27822 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 27822 ranks #2 of 6 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
27878 Sharpsburg, NC 1,931 4.3 mi
27803 Rocky Mount, NC 21,227 6.6 mi
27896 Wilson, NC 20,130 7.7 mi
27893 Wilson, NC 39,723 8.6 mi
27801 Rocky Mount, NC 21,740 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wilson County

27893 standard
Wilson, NC
Pop: 39,723
27896 standard
Wilson, NC
Pop: 20,130
27851 standard
Lucama, NC
Pop: 5,268
27883 standard
Stantonsburg, NC
Pop: 3,565
27880 standard
Sims, NC
Pop: 3,304
27813 standard
Black Creek, NC
Pop: 747

Related Areas

Wilson County Elm City, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 27822 in? ▼
ZIP code 27822 (Elm City) is located in Wilson County, North Carolina. Wilson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wilson-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27822? ▼
ZIP code 27822 in Elm City, NC has a population of 8,143 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27822? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 27822 is $63,703, which is 16% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27822? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 27822 is $165,600, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27822? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 27822 is White at 61.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27822? ▼
ZIP code 27822 has 107 business establishments employing approximately 742 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27822? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27822 are: Construction (22), Other services (except public administration) (18), Retail trade (12). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27822? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27822 decreased by 1.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 109%. 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 27822? ▼
In ZIP code 27822, 58.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.9% 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 27822? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27822 is 20.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27822? ▼
In ZIP code 27822, approximately 83.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27822? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27822 is 17.0% 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.