Kings Mountain, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28086
Cleveland County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 25,895
- 114/sq mi High-density area
- $62,414
- Median income Near-median income area
- $207,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 17.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Kings Mountain pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 34th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 45th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 114
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28086 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28086 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina, with 25,895 residents across 227.7 square miles, a density of 114 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28086 reports a modest median household income of $62,414 (10% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,604. The poverty rate is 17.6%, with unemployment at 5.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $207,300 (20% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $972; owner occupancy is 72.4%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.2, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cleveland County, so 28086 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 28086
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Kings Mountain, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28086.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
79 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
71 establishments
- Construction
Construction
60 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
48 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
46 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 28086, Kings Mountain, 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
25,895
Population
227.7
Area (sq mi)
114
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28086?
41.2
Median Age
47.9%
Male
52.1%
Female
4.9%
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?
$62,414
Median Household Income
-10% vs state ZIP avg
$28,604
Per Capita Income
17.6%
Poverty Rate
5.0%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28086 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Kings Mountain, 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)
$62,414 44th percentile higher than 44% 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
11,718housing units
11,718
Total Housing Units
10,903
Occupied Units
815
Vacant Units
2.69
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$207,300
Median Home Value
-20% vs state ZIP avg
$972
Median Rent
1983
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
+0.6%
YoY Change (2024)
238
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+138%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28086 have increased 0.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +138% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.5% | 150 |
| 2021 | +14.6% | 172 |
| 2022 | +24.1% | 213 |
| 2023 | +11.0% | 237 |
| 2024 | +0.6% | 238 |
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 516 business establishments in ZIP 28086, employing approximately 9,892 people with a combined annual payroll of $471,353,000.
516
Businesses
9,892
Employees
$471.4M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 79 | 15.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 71 | 13.8% |
| Construction | 60 | 11.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 48 | 9.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 46 | 8.9% |
| Manufacturing | 44 | 8.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 32 | 6.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 26 | 5.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 25 | 4.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 22 | 4.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 20 | 3.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 3.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 2.1% |
| Utilities | 4 | 0.8% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.8% |
| Information | 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 28086 vs 28073 →
ZIP 28086 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28052
Gastonia (28052)
34,932 residents
- 28086
Kings Mountain (28086)
25,895 residents
- 28016 13,463
Bessemer City (28016)
13,463 residents
- 29702 10,059
Blacksburg (29702)
10,059 residents
- 28073 5,621
Grover (28073)
5,621 residents
- 28169 173
Waco (28169)
173 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28086 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28086 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28086
Kings Mountain (28086)
$62,414 median income
- 28016
Bessemer City (28016)
$57,147 median income
- 28073
Grover (28073)
$52,557 median income
- 29702
Blacksburg (29702)
$49,705 median income
- 28052
Gastonia (28052)
$49,643 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28086 ranks the highest 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 28086, 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 (25,895 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cleveland County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28086 in?
ZIP code 28086 (Kings Mountain) is located in Cleveland County, North Carolina. Cleveland County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cleveland-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28086?
ZIP code 28086 in Kings Mountain, NC has a population of 25,895 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28086?
The median household income in ZIP 28086 is $62,414, which is 18% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28086?
The median home value in ZIP 28086 is $207,300, which is 25% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28086?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28086 is White at 73.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28086?
ZIP code 28086 has 516 business establishments employing approximately 9,892 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28086?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28086 are: Retail trade (79), Other services (except public administration) (71), Construction (60). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28086?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28086 increased by 0.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 138%. 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 28086?
In ZIP code 28086, 52.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.5% 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 28086?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28086 is 25.5 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 28086?
In ZIP code 28086, approximately 72.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28086?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28086 is 17.6% 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 28086's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28086 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Kings Mountain, 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.