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 High-density area
- $49,643
- Median income Below-median income area
- $187,500
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 16.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28052 (Gastonia, NC) rose +6.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 255.7 in 2023 to 271.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,574. The poverty rate is 23.6%, 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 $187,500 (28% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $1,071; owner occupancy is 54.7%.
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. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Gaston County, so 28052 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 28052
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gastonia, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28052.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
124 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
99 establishments
- Construction
Construction
75 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
72 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
64 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 28052?
34.7
Median Age
49.1%
Male
50.9%
Female
8.7%
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?
$49,643
Median Household Income
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$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
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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
15,288housing units
15,288
Total Housing Units
13,379
Occupied Units
1,909
Vacant Units
2.66
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$187,500
Median Home Value
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 28054
Gastonia (28054)
36,270 residents
- 28052
Gastonia (28052)
34,932 residents
- 28056
Gastonia (28056)
31,418 residents
- 29710
Clover (29710)
29,449 residents
- 28086
Kings Mountain (28086)
25,895 residents
- 28034
Dallas (28034)
16,642 residents
- 28016 13,463
Bessemer City (28016)
13,463 residents
- 28098 3,579
Lowell (28098)
3,579 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28052 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28052 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29710
Clover (29710)
$96,563 median income
- 28056
Gastonia (28056)
$90,427 median income
- 28086
Kings Mountain (28086)
$62,414 median income
- 28034
Dallas (28034)
$62,083 median income
- 28054
Gastonia (28054)
$61,035 median income
- 28016
Bessemer City (28016)
$57,147 median income
- 28098
Lowell (28098)
$53,000 median income
- 28052
Gastonia (28052)
$49,643 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28052, 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 (34,932 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Gaston County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28052's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28052 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Gastonia, 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.