Ellenboro, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28040
Rutherford County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,969
- 43/sq mi
- $58,816
- Median income
- $169,500
- Median home value
- 17.3%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Ellenboro pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 27th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 34th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 43
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28040 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28040 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 184.0 square miles in Ellenboro, Rutherford County, North Carolina. The area is home to 7,969 residents, producing a population density of 43 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 28040 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28040 sits at $58,816 (15% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $29,929. The poverty rate stands at 9.6% and the unemployment rate at 7.4%. On housing, the median home value is $169,500 (35% below the state average) with median rent at $750 per month, and 85.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28040 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 17.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.1, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Rutherford County, so you can benchmark 28040 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 28040
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28040.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
20 establishments
- Construction
Construction
15 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Manufacturing 5
Manufacturing
5 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
5 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 28040, Ellenboro, 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
7,969
Population
184.0
Area (sq mi)
43
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28040?
45.1
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
2.4%
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?
$58,816
Median Household Income
-15% vs state
$29,929
Per Capita Income
9.6%
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Unemployment Rate
25.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28040 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$58,816 27th percentile higher than 27% 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?
3,326
Total Housing Units
2,844
Occupied Units
482
Vacant Units
2.44
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$169,500
Median Home Value
-35% vs state
$750
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
+36.0%
YoY Change (2024)
353
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+253%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28040 have increased 36.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +253% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +7.5% | 180 |
| 2021 | +13.3% | 204 |
| 2022 | +22.4% | 249 |
| 2023 | +4.2% | 260 |
| 2024 | +36.0% | 353 |
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 68 business establishments in ZIP 28040, employing approximately 299 people with a combined annual payroll of $13,247,000.
68
Businesses
299
Employees
$13.2M
Annual Payroll
8
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 20 | 29.4% |
| Construction | 15 | 22.1% |
| Retail trade | 9 | 13.2% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 7.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 5 | 7.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 5.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 5.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 4.4% |
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 28040 vs 28018 →
ZIP 28040 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28043
Forest City (28043)
21,055 residents
- 28040 7,969
Ellenboro (28040)
7,969 residents
- 28018 5,562
Bostic (28018)
5,562 residents
- 28020 2,322
Casar (28020)
2,322 residents
- 28076 722
Henrietta (28076)
722 residents
- 28017 695
Boiling Springs (28017)
695 residents
- 28089 248
Lattimore (28089)
248 residents
- 28019 123
Caroleen (28019)
123 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28040 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28040 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28089
Lattimore (28089)
$75,000 median income
- 28020
Casar (28020)
$59,978 median income
- 28040
Ellenboro (28040)
$58,816 median income
- 28018
Bostic (28018)
$50,727 median income
- 28043
Forest City (28043)
$42,276 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28040 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Rutherford County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28040 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28040? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28040? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28040? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28040? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28040? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28040? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28040? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28040? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28040? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28040? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28040? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Ellenboro, 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.