PlainZIP

Cornelius, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28031

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

24,390
672/sq mi
$113,368
Median income
$547,400
Median home value
62.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Cornelius pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 12%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 11%
home value, US ZIPs
672
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28031 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28031 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cornelius, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, with 24,390 residents across 36.3 square miles, a density of 672 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28031 skews affluent, with a median household income of $113,368 (64% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $78,105. Local economic indicators show a 5.6% poverty rate alongside 2.5% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $547,400 (111% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,747 monthly, and 71.6% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 62.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.6, and the average commute is 26 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 28031, plus 6 more within Mecklenburg 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 28031

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cornelius, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28031.

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 28031, Cornelius, 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

24,390

Population

36.3

Area (sq mi)

672

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 28031?

44.6

Median Age

46.7%

Male

53.3%

Female

9.0%

Foreign-Born

White 82.7%
African American 3.6%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%

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?

$113,368

Median Household Income

+64% vs state

$78,105

Per Capita Income

5.6%

Poverty Rate

2.5%

Unemployment Rate

25.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28031 ranks nationally

Cornelius, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$113,368 Top 12% higher than 88% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 73.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 62.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

14,497

Total Housing Units

13,425

Occupied Units

1,072

Vacant Units

2.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.6%
Renter 28.4%

$547,400

Median Home Value

+111% vs state

$1,747

Median Rent

2002

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

-2.1%

YoY Change (2024)

293

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+193%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28031 have decreased 2.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +193% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.3% 187
2021 +11.9% 209
2022 +24.2% 260
2023 +15.1% 299
2024 -2.1% 293

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 1,373 business establishments in ZIP 28031, employing approximately 12,432 people with a combined annual payroll of $641,801,000.

1,373

Businesses

12,432

Employees

$641.8M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 241 17.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 148 10.8%
Construction 133 9.7%
Retail trade 126 9.2%
Health care and social assistance 122 8.9%
Other services (except public administration) 120 8.7%
Finance and insurance 99 7.2%
Accommodation and food services 97 7.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 78 5.7%
Wholesale trade 53 3.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 43 3.1%
Manufacturing 30 2.2%
Transportation and warehousing 26 1.9%
Educational services 24 1.8%
Information 21 1.5%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 0.5%
Utilities 3 0.2%

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 28031 vs 28078 →

ZIP 28031 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28031 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28031 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28031 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
28078 Huntersville, NC 52,133 5.0 mi
28117 Mooresville, NC 35,454 7.0 mi
28036 Davidson, NC 14,654 5.9 mi
28037 Denver, NC 18,287 7.2 mi
28682 Terrell, NC 1,129 8.4 mi
28164 Stanley, NC 14,085 9.6 mi
28269 Charlotte, NC 71,048 10.7 mi
28115 Mooresville, NC 34,339 10.2 mi
28673 Sherrills Ford, NC 5,919 11.0 mi
28120 Mount Holly, NC 19,807 12.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County

28269 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 71,048
28277 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 59,664
28215 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 53,629
28078 standard
Huntersville, NC
Pop: 52,133
28227 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 49,635
28216 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 47,208

Related Areas

Mecklenburg County Cornelius, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28031 in? ▼
ZIP code 28031 (Cornelius) is located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Mecklenburg County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mecklenburg-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28031? ▼
ZIP code 28031 in Cornelius, NC has a population of 24,390 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28031? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28031 is $113,368, which is 49% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28031? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28031 is $547,400, which is 97% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28031? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28031 is White at 82.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28031? ▼
ZIP code 28031 has 1,373 business establishments employing approximately 12,432 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28031? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28031 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (241), Real estate and rental and leasing (148), Construction (133). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28031? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28031 decreased by 2.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 193%. 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 28031? ▼
In ZIP code 28031, 73.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 62.4% 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 28031? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28031 is 25.8 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 28031? ▼
In ZIP code 28031, approximately 71.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28031? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28031 is 5.6% 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.