Sharpsburg, NC · standard
ZIP Code 27878
Edgecombe County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,931
- 406/sq mi High-density area
- $53,382
- Median income Below-median income area
- $111,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 3.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sharpsburg pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 19th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 13th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 406
- people per sq mi
- 46%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27878 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 27878 covers 4.8 square miles in Sharpsburg, Edgecombe County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,931 residents on file, a density of 406 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 27878 reports a modest median household income of $53,382 (23% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $23,587. The poverty rate is 26.1%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $111,500 (57% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $926; owner occupancy is 46.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 3.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.6, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Edgecombe County, so 27878 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 27878
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sharpsburg, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27878.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
6 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
5 establishments
- Construction
Construction
4 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
3 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 27878, Sharpsburg, 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
1,931
Population
4.8
Area (sq mi)
406
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 27878?
35.6
Median Age
46.6%
Male
53.4%
Female
0.0%
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?
$53,382
Median Household Income
-23% vs state ZIP avg
$23,587
Per Capita Income
26.1%
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 27878 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Sharpsburg, 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)
$53,382 25th percentile higher than 25% 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
610housing units
610
Total Housing Units
470
Occupied Units
140
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$111,500
Median Home Value
-57% vs state ZIP avg
$926
Median Rent
1988
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 23 business establishments in ZIP 27878, employing approximately 171 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,533,000.
23
Businesses
171
Employees
$5.5M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 6 | 26.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 21.7% |
| Construction | 4 | 17.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 13.0% |
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 27878 vs 27803 →
ZIP 27878 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27804
Rocky Mount (27804)
29,058 residents
- 27801
Rocky Mount (27801)
21,740 residents
- 27803
Rocky Mount (27803)
21,227 residents
- 27896
Wilson (27896)
20,130 residents
- 27856
Nashville (27856)
17,141 residents
- 27822 8,143
Elm City (27822)
8,143 residents
- 27878 1,931
Sharpsburg (27878)
1,931 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27878 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 27878 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27896
Wilson (27896)
$75,696 median income
- 27856
Nashville (27856)
$66,510 median income
- 27822
Elm City (27822)
$63,703 median income
- 27804
Rocky Mount (27804)
$61,359 median income
- 27803
Rocky Mount (27803)
$60,124 median income
- 27878
Sharpsburg (27878)
$53,382 median income
- 27801
Rocky Mount (27801)
$44,884 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 27878 ranks #6 of 7 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 27878, 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 (1,931 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Edgecombe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 27878 in?
ZIP code 27878 (Sharpsburg) is located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Edgecombe County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/edgecombe-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27878?
ZIP code 27878 in Sharpsburg, NC has a population of 1,931 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27878?
The median household income in ZIP 27878 is $53,382, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27878?
The median home value in ZIP 27878 is $111,500, which is 60% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27878?
The largest racial group in ZIP 27878 is African American at 71.8%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27878?
ZIP code 27878 has 23 business establishments employing approximately 171 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27878?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27878 are: Retail trade (6), Other services (except public administration) (5), Construction (4). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 27878?
In ZIP code 27878, 45.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 3.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27878?
In ZIP code 27878, approximately 46.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 54.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27878?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27878 is 26.1% 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 27878's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 27878 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sharpsburg, 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.