Bostic, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28018
Rutherford County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,562
- 22/sq mi
- $50,727
- Median income
- $169,200
- Median home value
- 20.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Bostic pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 15th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 34th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 22
- people per sq mi
- 84%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28018 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28018 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 257.5 square miles in Bostic, Rutherford County, North Carolina. The area is home to 5,562 residents, producing a population density of 22 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 28018 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28018 sits at $50,727 (27% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $30,414. The poverty rate stands at 17.2% and the unemployment rate at 5.9%. On housing, the median home value is $169,200 (35% below the state average) with median rent at $870 per month, and 83.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28018 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 54.5, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Rutherford County, so you can benchmark 28018 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 28018
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28018.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
14 establishments
- Construction
Construction
10 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
10 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 4
Real estate and rental and leasing
4 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 28018, Bostic, 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
5,562
Population
257.5
Area (sq mi)
22
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28018?
54.5
Median Age
49.0%
Male
51.0%
Female
1.1%
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?
$50,727
Median Household Income
-27% vs state
$30,414
Per Capita Income
17.2%
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Unemployment Rate
26.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28018 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$50,727 15th percentile higher than 15% 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?
2,597
Total Housing Units
2,227
Occupied Units
370
Vacant Units
2.24
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$169,200
Median Home Value
-35% vs state
$870
Median Rent
1991
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
+18.3%
YoY Change (2024)
274
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+174%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28018 have increased 18.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +174% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.9% | 171 |
| 2021 | +4.7% | 179 |
| 2022 | +35.0% | 241 |
| 2023 | -3.9% | 232 |
| 2024 | +18.3% | 274 |
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 67 business establishments in ZIP 28018, employing approximately 447 people with a combined annual payroll of $12,608,000.
67
Businesses
447
Employees
$12.6M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 14 | 20.9% |
| Construction | 10 | 14.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 14.9% |
| Retail trade | 9 | 13.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 6.0% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 4.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 4.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 4.5% |
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 28018 vs 28040 →
ZIP 28018 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28040
Ellenboro (28040)
7,969 residents
- 28018
Bostic (28018)
5,562 residents
- 28160
Spindale (28160)
3,929 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28018 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28018 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28040
Ellenboro (28040)
$58,816 median income
- 28018
Bostic (28018)
$50,727 median income
- 28160
Spindale (28160)
$40,868 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28018 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Rutherford County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
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How many businesses are in ZIP code 28018? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28018? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Bostic, 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.