PlainZIP

Gastonia, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28052

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

34,932
320/sq mi
$49,643
Median income
$187,500
Median home value
16.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Gastonia pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

14th pct
household income, US ZIPs
40th pct
home value, US ZIPs
320
people per sq mi
55%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28052 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28052 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina, with 34,932 residents across 109.1 square miles, a density of 320 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28052 reports a modest median household income of $49,643 (28% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $25,574. The poverty rate stands at 23.6% and the unemployment rate at 8.4%. The typical home here is valued at $187,500 (28% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,071 monthly, and 54.7% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.7, and the average commute is 27 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 7 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 28052, plus 6 more within Gaston 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 28052

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gastonia, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28052.

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 28052, Gastonia, 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

34,932

Population

109.1

Area (sq mi)

320

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 28052?

34.7

Median Age

49.1%

Male

50.9%

Female

8.7%

Foreign-Born

White 50.4%
African American 30.6%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.9%

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?

$49,643

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$25,574

Per Capita Income

23.6%

Poverty Rate

8.4%

Unemployment Rate

26.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28052 ranks nationally

Gastonia, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$49,643 14th percentile higher than 14% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 53.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.5%

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

What does housing look like?

15,288

Total Housing Units

13,379

Occupied Units

1,909

Vacant Units

2.66

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 54.7%
Renter 45.3%

$187,500

Median Home Value

-28% vs state

$1,071

Median Rent

1967

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

+6.1%

YoY Change (2024)

271

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+171%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28052 have increased 6.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +171% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.9% 163
2021 +16.9% 191
2022 +24.9% 239
2023 +7.1% 256
2024 +6.1% 271

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 737 business establishments in ZIP 28052, employing approximately 14,681 people with a combined annual payroll of $716,889,000.

737

Businesses

14,681

Employees

$716.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 124 16.8%
Other services (except public administration) 99 13.4%
Construction 75 10.2%
Accommodation and food services 72 9.8%
Manufacturing 64 8.7%
Health care and social assistance 61 8.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 58 7.9%
Wholesale trade 41 5.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 36 4.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 28 3.8%
Finance and insurance 26 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 17 2.3%
Information 12 1.6%
Educational services 9 1.2%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 0.7%

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 28052 vs 28056 →

ZIP 28052 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 28052 ranks #2 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 28052 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 28052 ranks #8 of 8 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
28056 Gastonia, NC 31,418 6.1 mi
28054 Gastonia, NC 36,270 5.4 mi
29710 Clover, SC 29,449 8.1 mi
28016 Bessemer City, NC 13,463 7.2 mi
28086 Kings Mountain, NC 25,895 7.9 mi
28034 Dallas, NC 16,642 9.4 mi
28098 Lowell, NC 3,579 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Gaston County

28054 standard
Gastonia, NC
Pop: 36,270
28056 standard
Gastonia, NC
Pop: 31,418
28012 standard
Belmont, NC
Pop: 20,048
28120 standard
Mount Holly, NC
Pop: 19,807
28034 standard
Dallas, NC
Pop: 16,642
28164 standard
Stanley, NC
Pop: 14,085

Related Areas

Gaston County Gastonia, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28052 in? ▼
ZIP code 28052 (Gastonia) is located in Gaston County, North Carolina. Gaston County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/gaston-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28052? ▼
ZIP code 28052 in Gastonia, NC has a population of 34,932 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28052? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28052 is $49,643, which is 35% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28052? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28052 is $187,500, which is 33% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28052? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28052 is White at 50.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 17.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28052? ▼
ZIP code 28052 has 737 business establishments employing approximately 14,681 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28052? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28052 are: Retail trade (124), Other services (except public administration) (99), Construction (75). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28052? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28052 increased by 6.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 171%. 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 28052? ▼
In ZIP code 28052, 53.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.5% 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 28052? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28052 is 26.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28052? ▼
In ZIP code 28052, approximately 54.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 45.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28052? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28052 is 23.6% 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.