Washington, NC · standard
ZIP Code 27889
Beaufort County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 27,468
- 54/sq mi
- $53,179
- Median income
- $194,200
- Median home value
- 21.7%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Washington pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 19th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 42th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 54
- people per sq mi
- 61%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27889 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 27889 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 512.5 square miles in Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina. The area is home to 27,468 residents, producing a population density of 54 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 27889 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 27889 sits at $53,179 (23% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $33,729. The poverty rate stands at 16.6% and the unemployment rate at 3.8%. On housing, the median home value is $194,200 (25% below the state average) with median rent at $865 per month, and 60.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 27889 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Beaufort County, so you can benchmark 27889 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 27889
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27889.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
140 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
114 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
92 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
74 establishments
- Construction
Construction
67 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27889, Washington, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
27,468
Population
512.5
Area (sq mi)
54
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 27889?
46.9
Median Age
48.1%
Male
51.9%
Female
5.2%
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?
$53,179
Median Household Income
-23% vs state
$33,729
Per Capita Income
16.6%
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Unemployment Rate
23.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 27889 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$53,179 19th percentile higher than 19% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
12,871
Total Housing Units
11,086
Occupied Units
1,785
Vacant Units
2.16
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$194,200
Median Home Value
-25% vs state
$865
Median Rent
1979
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
+5.6%
YoY Change (2024)
257
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+157%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 27889 have increased 5.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +157% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.8% | 153 |
| 2021 | +12.2% | 171 |
| 2022 | +18.3% | 203 |
| 2023 | +20.1% | 243 |
| 2024 | +5.6% | 257 |
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 789 business establishments in ZIP 27889, employing approximately 10,290 people with a combined annual payroll of $424,512,000.
789
Businesses
10,290
Employees
$424.5M
Annual Payroll
18
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 140 | 17.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 114 | 14.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 92 | 11.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 74 | 9.4% |
| Construction | 67 | 8.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 54 | 6.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 52 | 6.6% |
| Manufacturing | 39 | 4.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 34 | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 31 | 3.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 30 | 3.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 20 | 2.5% |
| Information | 13 | 1.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 1.4% |
| Educational services | 9 | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.4% |
| Industries not classified | 3 | 0.4% |
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 27889 vs 27817 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27817 | Chocowinity, NC | 7,358 | 10.8 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Beaufort County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 27889 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 27889? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 27889? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 27889? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27889? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27889? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27889? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27889? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 27889? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 27889? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27889? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27889? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Washington, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.