Salisbury, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28144

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

24,734
319/sq mi
$52,568
Median income
$226,700
Median home value
29.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Salisbury pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 49%
home value, US ZIPs
319
people per sq mi
55%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28144 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28144 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 77.5 square miles in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. The area is home to 24,734 residents, producing a population density of 319 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 28144 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28144 sits at $52,568 (24% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $32,424. The poverty rate stands at 26.6% and the unemployment rate at 6.9%. On housing, the median home value is $226,700 (13% below the state average) with median rent at $972 per month, and 54.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28144 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 29.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.9, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 9 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Rowan County, so you can benchmark 28144 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 28144

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28144.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28144, Salisbury, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

24,734

Population

77.5

Area (sq mi)

319

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 28144?

38.9

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

5.7%

Foreign-Born

White 51.7%
African American 35.9%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%

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?

$52,568

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$32,424

Per Capita Income

26.6%

Poverty Rate

6.9%

Unemployment Rate

20.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28144 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,568 18th percentile higher than 18% 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 60.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.9%

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

What does housing look like?

12,859

Total Housing Units

11,270

Occupied Units

1,589

Vacant Units

2.28

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 54.7%
Renter 45.3%

$226,700

Median Home Value

-13% vs state

$972

Median Rent

1968

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+8.9%

YoY Change (2024)

237

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+137%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28144 have increased 8.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.8% 143
2021 +14.1% 163
2022 +20.2% 196
2023 +10.9% 218
2024 +8.9% 237

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 793 business establishments in ZIP 28144, employing approximately 16,426 people with a combined annual payroll of $999,986,000.

793

Businesses

16,426

Employees

$1000.0M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 141 17.8%
Retail trade 116 14.6%
Accommodation and food services 89 11.2%
Other services (except public administration) 83 10.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 66 8.3%
Construction 53 6.7%
Finance and insurance 52 6.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 40 5.0%
Wholesale trade 38 4.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 30 3.8%
Manufacturing 27 3.4%
Educational services 15 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 1.6%
Transportation and warehousing 10 1.3%
Information 9 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 1.0%
Utilities 3 0.4%

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 28144 vs 28159 →

ZIP 28144 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 28144 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 28144 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 28144 ranks #8 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
28159 Spencer, NC 3,108 2.0 mi
28039 East Spencer, NC 116 2.4 mi
28072 Granite Quarry, NC 1,357 6.5 mi
27299 Linwood, NC 5,190 5.4 mi
28147 Salisbury, NC 24,697 5.9 mi
28146 Salisbury, NC 27,614 7.1 mi
27014 Cooleemee, NC 840 8.9 mi
27054 Woodleaf, NC 2,567 9.6 mi
28023 China Grove, NC 14,175 12.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Rowan County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28144 in?
ZIP code 28144 (Salisbury) 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 28144?
ZIP code 28144 in Salisbury, NC has a population of 24,734 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28144?
The median household income in ZIP 28144 is $52,568, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28144?
The median home value in ZIP 28144 is $226,700, which is 18% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28144?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28144 is White at 51.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28144?
ZIP code 28144 has 793 business establishments employing approximately 16,426 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28144?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28144 are: Health care and social assistance (141), Retail trade (116), Accommodation and food services (89). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28144?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28144 increased by 8.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 28144?
In ZIP code 28144, 60.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.9% 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 28144?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28144 is 20.9 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 28144?
In ZIP code 28144, approximately 54.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 45.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28144?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28144 is 26.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Salisbury, NC

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.