PlainZIP

Norwood, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28128

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

7,476
42/sq mi
$53,818
Median income
$222,300
Median home value
21.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Norwood pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

19th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 50%
home value, US ZIPs
42
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28128 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28128 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Norwood, Stanly County, North Carolina, home to 7,476 residents across 176.7 square miles, a density of 42 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28128 reports a modest median household income of $53,818 (22% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $32,461. 8.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.9%. Median home value sits at $222,300 (14% below the state average), median rent at $881 a month, and owner-occupancy at 68.4%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. Beyond these figures, 2 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Stanly County, letting you compare 28128 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 28128

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Norwood, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28128.

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 28128, Norwood, 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

7,476

Population

176.7

Area (sq mi)

42

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 28128?

42.5

Median Age

51.5%

Male

48.5%

Female

2.8%

Foreign-Born

White 81.0%
African American 14.5%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.7%

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?

$53,818

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$32,461

Per Capita Income

8.7%

Poverty Rate

4.9%

Unemployment Rate

26.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28128 ranks nationally

Norwood, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$53,818 19th percentile higher than 19% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 55.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.7%

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

What does housing look like?

3,180

Total Housing Units

2,517

Occupied Units

663

Vacant Units

2.61

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.4%
Renter 31.6%

$222,300

Median Home Value

-14% vs state

$881

Median Rent

1971

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

+11.2%

YoY Change (2024)

266

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+166%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28128 have increased 11.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +166% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.8% 157
2021 +6.7% 168
2022 +30.3% 219
2023 +9.5% 239
2024 +11.2% 266

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 131 business establishments in ZIP 28128, employing approximately 2,283 people with a combined annual payroll of $78,279,000.

131

Businesses

2,283

Employees

$78.3M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 28 21.4%
Retail trade 24 18.3%
Other services (except public administration) 22 16.8%
Accommodation and food services 15 11.4%
Manufacturing 9 6.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 5.3%
Health care and social assistance 6 4.6%
Wholesale trade 4 3.0%
Transportation and warehousing 4 3.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 2.3%

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 28128 vs 28007 →

ZIP 28128 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 28128 ranks #2 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 28128 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 28128 ranks #3 of 3 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
28007 Ansonville, NC 611 8.1 mi
28001 Albemarle, NC 26,760 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Stanly County

28001 standard
Albemarle, NC
Pop: 26,760
28127 standard
New London, NC
Pop: 7,594
28129 standard
Oakboro, NC
Pop: 5,399
28097 standard
Locust, NC
Pop: 5,369
28163 standard
Stanfield, NC
Pop: 5,233
28137 standard
Richfield, NC
Pop: 3,120

Related Areas

Stanly County Norwood, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28128 in? ▼
ZIP code 28128 (Norwood) is located in Stanly County, North Carolina. Stanly County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/stanly-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28128? ▼
ZIP code 28128 in Norwood, NC has a population of 7,476 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28128? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28128 is $53,818, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28128? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28128 is $222,300, which is 20% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28128? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28128 is White at 81.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28128? ▼
ZIP code 28128 has 131 business establishments employing approximately 2,283 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28128? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28128 are: Construction (28), Retail trade (24), Other services (except public administration) (22). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28128? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28128 increased by 11.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 166%. 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 28128? ▼
In ZIP code 28128, 55.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.7% 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 28128? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28128 is 26.3 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 28128? ▼
In ZIP code 28128, approximately 68.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28128? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28128 is 8.7% 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.