Lawndale, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28090
Cleveland County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,342
- 34/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $57,714
- Median income Below-median income area
- $169,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Lawndale pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 25th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 34th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 34
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28090 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 28090 (Lawndale, NC) rose +18.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 225.8 in 2023 to 267.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28090 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lawndale, Cleveland County, North Carolina, home to 8,342 residents across 243.2 square miles, a density of 34 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28090 reports a modest median household income of $57,714 (17% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,965. The poverty rate is 12.2%, with unemployment at 6.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $169,700 (35% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $808; owner occupancy is 76.6%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.3, and the average commute is 32 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cleveland County, so 28090 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 28090
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lawndale, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28090.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
18 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
15 establishments
- Construction
Construction
12 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
8 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 7
Professional, scientific, and technical services
7 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 28090, Lawndale, 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
8,342
Population
243.2
Area (sq mi)
34
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28090?
44.3
Median Age
47.1%
Male
52.9%
Female
0.8%
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?
$57,714
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$30,965
Per Capita Income
12.2%
Poverty Rate
6.6%
Unemployment Rate
32.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28090 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Lawndale, 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)
$57,714 33rd percentile higher than 33% 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
3,411housing units
3,411
Total Housing Units
2,841
Occupied Units
570
Vacant Units
2.55
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$169,700
Median Home Value
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$808
Median Rent
1982
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
+18.5%
YoY Change (2024)
268
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+168%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28090 have increased 18.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.5% | 136 |
| 2021 | +15.7% | 158 |
| 2022 | +21.6% | 192 |
| 2023 | +17.6% | 226 |
| 2024 | +18.5% | 268 |
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 82 business establishments in ZIP 28090, employing approximately 273 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,540,000.
82
Businesses
273
Employees
$7.5M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 18 | 21.9% |
| Retail trade | 15 | 18.3% |
| Construction | 12 | 14.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 9.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 7 | 8.5% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 6.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 6.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 4 | 4.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 3.7% |
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 28090 vs 28150 →
ZIP 28090 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28150
Shelby (28150)
28,098 residents
- 28168 10,230
Vale (28168)
10,230 residents
- 28090 8,342
Lawndale (28090)
8,342 residents
- 28020 2,322
Casar (28020)
2,322 residents
- 28089 248
Lattimore (28089)
248 residents
- 28169 173
Waco (28169)
173 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28090 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28090 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28089
Lattimore (28089)
$75,000 median income
- 28168
Vale (28168)
$61,220 median income
- 28020
Casar (28020)
$59,978 median income
- 28090
Lawndale (28090)
$57,714 median income
- 28150
Shelby (28150)
$55,832 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28090 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 28090, 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 (8,342 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 28090 in?
ZIP code 28090 (Lawndale) 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 28090?
ZIP code 28090 in Lawndale, NC has a population of 8,342 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28090?
The median household income in ZIP 28090 is $57,714, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28090?
The median home value in ZIP 28090 is $169,700, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28090?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28090 is White at 76.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28090?
ZIP code 28090 has 82 business establishments employing approximately 273 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28090?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28090 are: Other services (except public administration) (18), Retail trade (15), Construction (12). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28090?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28090 increased by 18.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 168%. 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 28090?
In ZIP code 28090, 56.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.3% 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 28090?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28090 is 32.4 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 28090?
In ZIP code 28090, approximately 76.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28090?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28090 is 12.2% 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 28090's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28090 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Lawndale, 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.