PlainZIP

Mount Holly, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28120

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

19,807
252/sq mi
$78,231
Median income
$321,500
Median home value
33.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Mount Holly pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 40%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 30%
home value, US ZIPs
252
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28120 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28120 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Mount Holly, Gaston County, North Carolina, home to 19,807 residents across 78.6 square miles, a density of 252 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28120 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,231 (13% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $41,978. The poverty rate stands at 12.2% and the unemployment rate at 5.0%. The typical home here is valued at $321,500 (24% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,234 monthly, and 74.7% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.4, and the average commute is 27 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Gaston County, letting you compare 28120 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 28120

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Mount Holly, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28120.

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 28120, Mount Holly, 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

19,807

Population

78.6

Area (sq mi)

252

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 28120?

40.4

Median Age

47.9%

Male

52.1%

Female

5.5%

Foreign-Born

White 69.7%
African American 14.9%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%

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?

$78,231

Median Household Income

+13% vs state

$41,978

Per Capita Income

12.2%

Poverty Rate

5.0%

Unemployment Rate

27.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28120 ranks nationally

Mount Holly, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$78,231 Top 40% higher than 60% 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 58.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.8%

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

What does housing look like?

10,863

Total Housing Units

10,241

Occupied Units

622

Vacant Units

2.52

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.7%
Renter 25.3%

$321,500

Median Home Value

+24% vs state

$1,234

Median Rent

1990

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

+9.0%

YoY Change (2024)

276

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+176%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28120 have increased 9.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +176% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.3% 165
2021 +16.3% 192
2022 +23.1% 237
2023 +7.0% 253
2024 +9.0% 276

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 388 business establishments in ZIP 28120, employing approximately 5,963 people with a combined annual payroll of $346,858,000.

388

Businesses

5,963

Employees

$346.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 63 16.2%
Other services (except public administration) 50 12.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 37 9.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 33 8.5%
Retail trade 31 8.0%
Health care and social assistance 28 7.2%
Accommodation and food services 28 7.2%
Finance and insurance 21 5.4%
Transportation and warehousing 19 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 19 4.9%
Manufacturing 17 4.4%
Wholesale trade 12 3.1%
Utilities 10 2.6%
Educational services 7 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.6%
Information 5 1.3%

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 28120 vs 28164 →

ZIP 28120 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 28120 ranks #5 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 28120 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 28120 ranks #5 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
28164 Stanley, NC 14,085 4.2 mi
28214 Charlotte, NC 34,721 5.1 mi
28101 Mc Adenville, NC 698 5.9 mi
28098 Lowell, NC 3,579 5.8 mi
28012 Belmont, NC 20,048 8.4 mi
28006 Alexis, NC 1,130 6.5 mi
28032 Cramerton, NC 3,105 7.3 mi
28216 Charlotte, NC 47,208 7.9 mi
28054 Gastonia, NC 36,270 8.5 mi
28080 Iron Station, NC 7,299 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Gaston County

28054 standard
Gastonia, NC
Pop: 36,270
28052 standard
Gastonia, NC
Pop: 34,932
28056 standard
Gastonia, NC
Pop: 31,418
28012 standard
Belmont, NC
Pop: 20,048
28034 standard
Dallas, NC
Pop: 16,642
28164 standard
Stanley, NC
Pop: 14,085

Related Areas

Gaston County Mount Holly, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28120 in? ▼
ZIP code 28120 (Mount Holly) 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 28120? ▼
ZIP code 28120 in Mount Holly, NC has a population of 19,807 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28120? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28120 is $78,231, which is 3% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28120? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28120 is $321,500, which is 16% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28120? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28120 is White at 69.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28120? ▼
ZIP code 28120 has 388 business establishments employing approximately 5,963 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28120? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28120 are: Construction (63), Other services (except public administration) (50), Professional, scientific, and technical services (37). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28120? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28120 increased by 9.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 176%. 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 28120? ▼
In ZIP code 28120, 58.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.8% 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 28120? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28120 is 27.4 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 28120? ▼
In ZIP code 28120, approximately 74.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28120? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28120 is 12.2% 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.