Forest City, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28043
Rutherford County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 21,055
- 128/sq mi High-density area
- $42,276
- Median income Below-median income area
- $175,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 18.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Forest City pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 7th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 37th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 128
- people per sq mi
- 64%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28043 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28043 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Forest City, Rutherford County, North Carolina, with 21,055 residents across 164.1 square miles, a density of 128 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28043 reports a modest median household income of $42,276 (39% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,226. The poverty rate is 22.3%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $175,400 (32% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $783; owner occupancy is 64.4%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.1, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Rutherford County, so 28043 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 28043
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Forest City, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28043.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
113 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
72 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
66 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
55 establishments
- Construction 42
Construction
42 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28043, Forest City, 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
21,055
Population
164.1
Area (sq mi)
128
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28043?
40.1
Median Age
46.6%
Male
53.4%
Female
4.2%
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?
$42,276
Median Household Income
-39% vs state ZIP avg
$26,226
Per Capita Income
22.3%
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Unemployment Rate
23.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28043 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Forest City, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$42,276 8th percentile higher than 8% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
9,556housing units
9,556
Total Housing Units
8,271
Occupied Units
1,285
Vacant Units
2.50
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$175,400
Median Home Value
-32% vs state ZIP avg
$783
Median Rent
1975
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
+0.8%
YoY Change (2024)
262
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+162%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28043 have increased 0.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +162% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.2% | 162 |
| 2021 | +15.8% | 187 |
| 2022 | +22.1% | 229 |
| 2023 | +13.9% | 260 |
| 2024 | +0.8% | 262 |
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 506 business establishments in ZIP 28043, employing approximately 7,997 people with a combined annual payroll of $307,936,000.
506
Businesses
7,997
Employees
$307.9M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 113 | 22.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 72 | 14.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 66 | 13.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 55 | 10.9% |
| Construction | 42 | 8.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 30 | 5.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 24 | 4.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 20 | 4.0% |
| Manufacturing | 18 | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 17 | 3.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 16 | 3.2% |
| Information | 14 | 2.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 2.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 0.8% |
| Educational services | 3 | 0.6% |
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 28043 vs 28160 →
ZIP 28043 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
- 28139
Rutherfordton (28139)
20,111 residents
- 28040 7,969
Ellenboro (28040)
7,969 residents
- 28114 7,554
Mooresboro (28114)
7,554 residents
- 28160 3,929
Spindale (28160)
3,929 residents
- 28076 722
Henrietta (28076)
722 residents
- 28019 123
Caroleen (28019)
123 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28043 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28043 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28114
Mooresboro (28114)
$60,500 median income
- 28040
Ellenboro (28040)
$58,816 median income
- 28139
Rutherfordton (28139)
$56,558 median income
- 28043
Forest City (28043)
$42,276 median income
- 28160
Spindale (28160)
$40,868 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28043 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28043, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (21,055 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Rutherford County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28043 in?
ZIP code 28043 (Forest City) is located in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Rutherford County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rutherford-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28043?
ZIP code 28043 in Forest City, NC has a population of 21,055 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28043?
The median household income in ZIP 28043 is $42,276, which is 45% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28043?
The median home value in ZIP 28043 is $175,400, which is 37% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28043?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28043 is White at 71.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28043?
ZIP code 28043 has 506 business establishments employing approximately 7,997 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28043?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28043 are: Retail trade (113), Health care and social assistance (72), Other services (except public administration) (66). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28043?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28043 increased by 0.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 162%. 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 28043?
In ZIP code 28043, 52.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.5% 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 28043?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28043 is 23.6 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 28043?
In ZIP code 28043, approximately 64.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28043?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28043 is 22.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28043's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28043 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Forest City, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.