Bessemer City, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28016
Gaston County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,463
- 121/sq mi
- $57,147
- Median income
- $222,700
- Median home value
- 14.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Bessemer City pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 24th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 50%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 121
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28016 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28016 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 111.4 square miles in Bessemer City, Gaston County, North Carolina. The area is home to 13,463 residents, producing a population density of 121 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 28016 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28016 sits at $57,147 (17% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $28,485. The poverty rate stands at 14.0% and the unemployment rate at 6.1%. On housing, the median home value is $222,700 (14% below the state average) with median rent at $939 per month, and 75.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28016 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 14.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.7, and the average commute is 28 minutes. We also surface 8 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Gaston County, so you can benchmark 28016 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 28016
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28016.
- Construction
Construction
28 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
26 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
23 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
17 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
13 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 28016, Bessemer City, 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
13,463
Population
111.4
Area (sq mi)
121
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28016?
43.7
Median Age
53.1%
Male
46.9%
Female
3.1%
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?
$57,147
Median Household Income
-17% vs state
$28,485
Per Capita Income
14.0%
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Unemployment Rate
28.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28016 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$57,147 24th percentile higher than 24% 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?
5,847
Total Housing Units
5,042
Occupied Units
805
Vacant Units
2.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$222,700
Median Home Value
-14% vs state
$939
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
+13.4%
YoY Change (2024)
268
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+168%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28016 have increased 13.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +9.3% | 162 |
| 2021 | +13.6% | 184 |
| 2022 | +25.6% | 231 |
| 2023 | +2.1% | 236 |
| 2024 | +13.4% | 268 |
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 158 business establishments in ZIP 28016, employing approximately 2,561 people with a combined annual payroll of $134,532,000.
158
Businesses
2,561
Employees
$134.5M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 28 | 17.7% |
| Manufacturing | 26 | 16.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 23 | 14.6% |
| Retail trade | 17 | 10.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 13 | 8.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 9 | 5.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 5.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 5.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 7 | 4.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 3.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 3.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 2.5% |
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 28016 vs 28033 →
ZIP 28016 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28054
Gastonia (28054)
36,270 residents
- 28052
Gastonia (28052)
34,932 residents
- 28086
Kings Mountain (28086)
25,895 residents
- 28034
Dallas (28034)
16,642 residents
- 28021 13,612
Cherryville (28021)
13,612 residents
- 28016 13,463
Bessemer City (28016)
13,463 residents
- 28033 2,749
Crouse (28033)
2,749 residents
- 28077 482
High Shoals (28077)
482 residents
- 28169 173
Waco (28169)
173 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28016 ranks #6 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28016 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28033
Crouse (28033)
$78,458 median income
- 28021
Cherryville (28021)
$63,429 median income
- 28086
Kings Mountain (28086)
$62,414 median income
- 28034
Dallas (28034)
$62,083 median income
- 28054
Gastonia (28054)
$61,035 median income
- 28016
Bessemer City (28016)
$57,147 median income
- 28052
Gastonia (28052)
$49,643 median income
- 28077 $31,366
High Shoals (28077)
$31,366 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28016 ranks #6 of 8 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Gaston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28016 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28016? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28016? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28016? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28016? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28016? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28016? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28016? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28016? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28016? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28016? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28016? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Bessemer City, 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.