PlainZIP

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 a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina, with 27,468 residents across 512.5 square miles, a density of 54 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 27889 reports a modest median household income of $53,179 (23% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $33,729. Local economic indicators show a 16.6% poverty rate alongside 3.8% unemployment. Median home value sits at $194,200 (25% below the state average), median rent at $865 a month, and owner-occupancy at 60.9%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 27889, plus 6 more within Beaufort County, give a clearer read than the 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 27889

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Washington, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27889.

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 27889, Washington, 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

27,468

Population

512.5

Area (sq mi)

54

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 27889?

46.9

Median Age

48.1%

Male

51.9%

Female

5.2%

Foreign-Born

White 62.0%
African American 26.5%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%

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

Washington, NC 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

$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 50.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.7%

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

Owner 60.9%
Renter 39.1%

$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

27817 standard
Chocowinity, NC
Pop: 7,358
27810 standard
Belhaven, NC
Pop: 4,377
27806 standard
Aurora, NC
Pop: 2,331
27860 standard
Pantego, NC
Pop: 2,246
27808 standard
Bath, NC
Pop: 2,225
27865 standard
Pinetown, NC
Pop: 1,927

Related Areas

Beaufort County Washington, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 27889 in? ▼
ZIP code 27889 (Washington) is located in Beaufort County, North Carolina. Beaufort County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/beaufort-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27889? ▼
ZIP code 27889 in Washington, NC has a population of 27,468 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27889? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 27889 is $53,179, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27889? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 27889 is $194,200, which is 30% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27889? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 27889 is White at 62.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27889? ▼
ZIP code 27889 has 789 business establishments employing approximately 10,290 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27889? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27889 are: Retail trade (140), Health care and social assistance (114), Other services (except public administration) (92). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27889? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27889 increased by 5.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 157%. 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 27889? ▼
In ZIP code 27889, 50.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.7% 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 27889? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27889 is 23.1 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 27889? ▼
In ZIP code 27889, approximately 60.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27889? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27889 is 16.6% 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.