PlainZIP

Gastonia, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28054

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

36,270
700/sq mi
$61,035
Median income
$245,100
Median home value
22.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Gastonia pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

31th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 44%
home value, US ZIPs
700
people per sq mi
47%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28054 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28054 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina, with 36,270 residents across 51.8 square miles, a density of 700 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28054 reports a modest median household income of $61,035 (12% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $33,995. 15.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.5%. The typical home here is valued at $245,100 (6% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,215 monthly, and 46.8% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.2, and the average commute is 25 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 28054, 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 28054

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gastonia, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28054.

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 28054, 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

36,270

Population

51.8

Area (sq mi)

700

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 28054?

36.2

Median Age

46.7%

Male

53.3%

Female

7.3%

Foreign-Born

White 55.3%
African American 29.6%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%

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?

$61,035

Median Household Income

-12% vs state

$33,995

Per Capita Income

15.3%

Poverty Rate

5.5%

Unemployment Rate

24.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28054 ranks nationally

Gastonia, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,035 31st percentile higher than 31% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 52.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.0%

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

What does housing look like?

18,564

Total Housing Units

17,379

Occupied Units

1,185

Vacant Units

2.35

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 46.8%
Renter 53.2%

$245,100

Median Home Value

-6% vs state

$1,215

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

+6.4%

YoY Change (2024)

259

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+159%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28054 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +159% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.0% 161
2021 +16.8% 188
2022 +21.8% 229
2023 +6.5% 244
2024 +6.4% 259

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 1,113 business establishments in ZIP 28054, employing approximately 20,820 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,109,524,000.

1,113

Businesses

20,820

Employees

$1.1B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 280 25.2%
Retail trade 156 14.0%
Other services (except public administration) 109 9.8%
Accommodation and food services 100 9.0%
Construction 77 6.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 63 5.7%
Finance and insurance 60 5.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 57 5.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 48 4.3%
Manufacturing 42 3.8%
Wholesale trade 37 3.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 29 2.6%
Transportation and warehousing 28 2.5%
Information 11 1.0%
Educational services 7 0.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 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 28054 vs 28098 →

ZIP 28054 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 28054 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 28054 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 28054 ranks #6 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
28098 Lowell, NC 3,579 3.0 mi
28056 Gastonia, NC 31,418 3.4 mi
28101 Mc Adenville, NC 698 4.0 mi
28032 Cramerton, NC 3,105 4.4 mi
28034 Dallas, NC 16,642 6.5 mi
28052 Gastonia, NC 34,932 5.4 mi
28012 Belmont, NC 20,048 7.2 mi
28120 Mount Holly, NC 19,807 8.5 mi
28016 Bessemer City, NC 13,463 8.7 mi
28077 High Shoals, NC 482 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Gaston County

28052 standard
Gastonia, NC
Pop: 34,932
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 28054 in? ▼
ZIP code 28054 (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 28054? ▼
ZIP code 28054 in Gastonia, NC has a population of 36,270 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28054? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28054 is $61,035, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28054? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28054 is $245,100, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28054? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28054 is White at 55.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28054? ▼
ZIP code 28054 has 1,113 business establishments employing approximately 20,820 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28054? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28054 are: Health care and social assistance (280), Retail trade (156), Other services (except public administration) (109). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28054? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28054 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 159%. 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 28054? ▼
In ZIP code 28054, 52.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.0% 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 28054? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28054 is 24.8 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 28054? ▼
In ZIP code 28054, approximately 46.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 53.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28054? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28054 is 15.3% 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.