PlainZIP

Rockwell, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28138

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

10,495
91/sq mi
$66,896
Median income
$216,100
Median home value
19.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Rockwell pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

42th pct
household income, US ZIPs
48th pct
home value, US ZIPs
91
people per sq mi
71%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28138 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28138 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Rockwell, Rowan County, North Carolina, home to 10,495 residents across 115.0 square miles, a density of 91 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28138 reports a modest median household income of $66,896 (3% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $33,461. Poverty here runs at 6.5%, with unemployment measured at 1.9%. The typical home here is valued at $216,100 (17% below the state average); renters pay a median of $966 monthly, and 71.3% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.7, and the average commute is 25 minutes. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Rowan County, letting you compare 28138 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 28138

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rockwell, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28138.

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 28138, Rockwell, 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

10,495

Population

115.0

Area (sq mi)

91

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 28138?

40.7

Median Age

53.1%

Male

46.9%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 87.7%
African American 4.1%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.9%

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?

$66,896

Median Household Income

-3% vs state

$33,461

Per Capita Income

6.5%

Poverty Rate

1.9%

Unemployment Rate

24.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28138 ranks nationally

Rockwell, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,896 42nd percentile higher than 42% 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 57.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.6%

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

What does housing look like?

4,342

Total Housing Units

4,178

Occupied Units

164

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.3%
Renter 28.7%

$216,100

Median Home Value

-17% vs state

$966

Median Rent

1988

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

+5.5%

YoY Change (2024)

265

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+165%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28138 have increased 5.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +165% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.6% 156
2021 +16.9% 183
2022 +17.9% 216
2023 +16.4% 251
2024 +5.5% 265

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 188 business establishments in ZIP 28138, employing approximately 2,193 people with a combined annual payroll of $92,058,000.

188

Businesses

2,193

Employees

$92.1M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 34 18.1%
Construction 31 16.5%
Retail trade 29 15.4%
Transportation and warehousing 15 8.0%
Accommodation and food services 15 8.0%
Manufacturing 13 6.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 6.4%
Health care and social assistance 9 4.8%
Wholesale trade 7 3.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 7 3.7%
Finance and insurance 5 2.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 1.6%

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 28138 vs 28072 →

ZIP 28138 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 28138 ranks #4 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 28138 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 28138 ranks #6 of 7 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
28072 Granite Quarry, NC 1,357 6.4 mi
28071 Gold Hill, NC 2,802 6.5 mi
28146 Salisbury, NC 27,614 7.4 mi
28124 Mount Pleasant, NC 6,622 8.5 mi
28083 Kannapolis, NC 23,820 8.1 mi
28025 Concord, NC 49,160 10.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Rowan County

28146 standard
Salisbury, NC
Pop: 27,614
28144 standard
Salisbury, NC
Pop: 24,734
28147 standard
Salisbury, NC
Pop: 24,697
28023 standard
China Grove, NC
Pop: 14,175
27013 standard
Cleveland, NC
Pop: 6,057
28159 standard
Spencer, NC
Pop: 3,108

Related Areas

Rowan County Rockwell, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28138 in? ▼
ZIP code 28138 (Rockwell) is located in Rowan County, North Carolina. Rowan County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rowan-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28138? ▼
ZIP code 28138 in Rockwell, NC has a population of 10,495 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28138? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28138 is $66,896, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28138? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28138 is $216,100, which is 22% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28138? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28138 is White at 87.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28138? ▼
ZIP code 28138 has 188 business establishments employing approximately 2,193 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28138? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28138 are: Other services (except public administration) (34), Construction (31), Retail trade (29). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28138? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28138 increased by 5.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 165%. 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 28138? ▼
In ZIP code 28138, 57.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.6% 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 28138? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28138 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 28138? ▼
In ZIP code 28138, approximately 71.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28138? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28138 is 6.5% 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.