Spencer, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28159
Rowan County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,108
- 487/sq mi
- $63,036
- Median income
- $200,300
- Median home value
- 26.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Spencer pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 35th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 43th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 487
- people per sq mi
- 67%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28159 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28159 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 6.4 square miles in Spencer, Rowan County, North Carolina. The area is home to 3,108 residents, producing a population density of 487 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 28159 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28159 sits at $63,036 (9% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $33,823. The poverty rate stands at 12.6% and the unemployment rate at 7.5%. On housing, the median home value is $200,300 (23% below the state average) with median rent at $932 per month, and 67.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28159 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 26.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.7, and the average commute is —. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Rowan County, so you can benchmark 28159 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 28159
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28159.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
16 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
8 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Construction 5
Construction
5 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 5
Health care and social assistance
5 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28159, Spencer, 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
3,108
Population
6.4
Area (sq mi)
487
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28159?
42.7
Median Age
52.0%
Male
48.0%
Female
1.8%
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?
$63,036
Median Household Income
-9% vs state
$33,823
Per Capita Income
12.6%
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28159 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$63,036 35th percentile higher than 35% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
1,561
Total Housing Units
1,321
Occupied Units
240
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$200,300
Median Home Value
-23% vs state
$932
Median Rent
1952
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
-15.7%
YoY Change (2024)
230
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+130%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28159 have decreased 15.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +130% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.8% | 159 |
| 2021 | +15.9% | 184 |
| 2022 | +14.9% | 211 |
| 2023 | +29.3% | 273 |
| 2024 | -15.7% | 230 |
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 50 business establishments in ZIP 28159, employing approximately 508 people with a combined annual payroll of $15,611,000.
50
Businesses
508
Employees
$15.6M
Annual Payroll
6
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 16 | 32.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 8 | 16.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 14.0% |
| Construction | 5 | 10.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 10.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 6.0% |
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 28159 vs 28039 →
ZIP 28159 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28146
Salisbury (28146)
27,614 residents
- 28144
Salisbury (28144)
24,734 residents
- 28147
Salisbury (28147)
24,697 residents
- 27299 5,190
Linwood (27299)
5,190 residents
- 28159 3,108
Spencer (28159)
3,108 residents
- 28072 1,357
Granite Quarry (28072)
1,357 residents
- 27014 840
Cooleemee (27014)
840 residents
- 28039 116
East Spencer (28039)
116 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28159 ranks #5 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28159 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28072
Granite Quarry (28072)
$93,125 median income
- 28146
Salisbury (28146)
$69,279 median income
- 27299
Linwood (27299)
$65,621 median income
- 28147
Salisbury (28147)
$65,060 median income
- 28159
Spencer (28159)
$63,036 median income
- 28144
Salisbury (28144)
$52,568 median income
- 27014
Cooleemee (27014)
$44,625 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28159 ranks #5 of 7 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Rowan County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28159 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28159? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28159? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28159? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28159? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28159? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28159? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28159? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28159? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28159? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28159? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Spencer, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.