Vale, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28168
Lincoln County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,230
- 46/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $61,220
- Median income Below-median income area
- $205,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 14.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Vale pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 31st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 45th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 46
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28168 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28168 (Vale, NC) rose +11.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 244.1 in 2023 to 273.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28168 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Vale, Lincoln County, North Carolina, home to 10,230 residents across 224.3 square miles, a density of 46 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28168 reports a modest median household income of $61,220 (11% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,709. The poverty rate is 14.2%, with unemployment at 3.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $205,000 (21% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $821; owner occupancy is 82.9%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47, and the average commute is 34 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Lincoln County, so 28168 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 28168
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Vale, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28168.
- Construction
Construction
25 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
17 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
16 establishments
- Manufacturing 9
Manufacturing
9 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
9 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28168, Vale, 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
10,230
Population
224.3
Area (sq mi)
46
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28168?
47.0
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
5.9%
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?
$61,220
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$29,709
Per Capita Income
14.2%
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Unemployment Rate
33.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28168 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Vale, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$61,220 42nd percentile higher than 42% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
4,694housing units
4,694
Total Housing Units
4,324
Occupied Units
370
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$205,000
Median Home Value
-21% vs state ZIP avg
$821
Median Rent
1986
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
+11.9%
YoY Change (2024)
273
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+173%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28168 have increased 11.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +173% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.7% | 147 |
| 2021 | +14.3% | 168 |
| 2022 | +24.4% | 209 |
| 2023 | +16.6% | 244 |
| 2024 | +11.9% | 273 |
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 119 business establishments in ZIP 28168, employing approximately 621 people with a combined annual payroll of $21,696,000.
119
Businesses
621
Employees
$21.7M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 25 | 21.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 17 | 14.3% |
| Retail trade | 16 | 13.4% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 7.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 9 | 7.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 9 | 7.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 6.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 6.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 4.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 2.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 2.5% |
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 28168 vs 28602 →
ZIP 28168 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28602
Hickory (28602)
28,981 residents
- 28612
Connelly Springs (28612)
12,397 residents
- 28168 10,230
Vale (28168)
10,230 residents
- 28090 8,342
Lawndale (28090)
8,342 residents
- 28033 2,749
Crouse (28033)
2,749 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28168 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28168 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28033
Crouse (28033)
$78,458 median income
- 28602
Hickory (28602)
$62,048 median income
- 28168
Vale (28168)
$61,220 median income
- 28090
Lawndale (28090)
$57,714 median income
- 28612
Connelly Springs (28612)
$54,934 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28168 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28168, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (10,230 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lincoln County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28168 in?
ZIP code 28168 (Vale) is located in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Lincoln County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lincoln-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28168?
ZIP code 28168 in Vale, NC has a population of 10,230 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28168?
The median household income in ZIP 28168 is $61,220, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28168?
The median home value in ZIP 28168 is $205,000, which is 26% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28168?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28168 is White at 83.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28168?
ZIP code 28168 has 119 business establishments employing approximately 621 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28168?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28168 are: Construction (25), Other services (except public administration) (17), Retail trade (16). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28168?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28168 increased by 11.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 173%. 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 28168?
In ZIP code 28168, 49.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.3% 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 28168?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28168 is 33.5 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 28168?
In ZIP code 28168, approximately 82.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28168?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28168 is 14.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28168's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28168 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Vale, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.