Waxhaw, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28173
Union County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 45,097
- 162/sq mi High-density area
- $150,597
- Median income Above-median income area
- $608,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 58.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Waxhaw pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 4%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 9%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 162
- people per sq mi
- 90%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28173 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 28173 (Waxhaw, NC) rose +7.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 265.7 in 2023 to 286.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28173 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waxhaw, Union County, North Carolina, with 45,097 residents across 278.7 square miles, a density of 162 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28173 skews affluent, with a median household income of $150,597 (118% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $63,561. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 4.4% and unemployment is 3.9%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $608,000 (134% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 90.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,776.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 58.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.2, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Union County, so 28173 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 28173
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waxhaw, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28173.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
246 establishments
- Construction
Construction
180 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
127 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
106 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 98
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
98 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 28173, Waxhaw, 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
45,097
Population
278.7
Area (sq mi)
162
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28173?
41.2
Median Age
49.9%
Male
50.1%
Female
11.9%
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?
$150,597
Median Household Income
+118% vs state ZIP avg
$63,561
Per Capita Income
4.4%
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Unemployment Rate
31.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28173 ranks nationally
Waxhaw, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$150,597 Top 4% higher than 96% 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
21,343housing units
21,343
Total Housing Units
20,430
Occupied Units
913
Vacant Units
3.19
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$608,000
Median Home Value
+134% vs state ZIP avg
$1,776
Median Rent
2006
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
+7.7%
YoY Change (2024)
286
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+186%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28173 have increased 7.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +186% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.0% | 174 |
| 2021 | +14.5% | 200 |
| 2022 | +24.9% | 249 |
| 2023 | +6.5% | 266 |
| 2024 | +7.7% | 286 |
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 1,288 business establishments in ZIP 28173, employing approximately 7,222 people with a combined annual payroll of $303,578,000.
1,288
Businesses
7,222
Employees
$303.6M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 246 | 19.1% |
| Construction | 180 | 14.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 127 | 9.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 106 | 8.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 98 | 7.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 89 | 6.9% |
| Retail trade | 81 | 6.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 79 | 6.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 71 | 5.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 61 | 4.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 51 | 4.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 30 | 2.3% |
| Educational services | 24 | 1.9% |
| Information | 21 | 1.6% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 0.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.2% |
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 28173 vs 28108 →
ZIP 28173 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28277
Charlotte (28277)
59,664 residents
- 28173
Waxhaw (28173)
45,097 residents
- 28104
Matthews (28104)
28,040 residents
- 29707 17,742
Fort Mill (29707)
17,742 residents
- 28108 54
Mineral Springs (28108)
54 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28173 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28173 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28173
Waxhaw (28173)
$150,597 median income
- 28104
Matthews (28104)
$138,017 median income
- 28277
Charlotte (28277)
$128,627 median income
- 29707
Fort Mill (29707)
$118,295 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28173 ranks the highest of 4 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 28173, 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 (45,097 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Union County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28173 in?
ZIP code 28173 (Waxhaw) is located in Union County, North Carolina. Union County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/union-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28173?
ZIP code 28173 in Waxhaw, NC has a population of 45,097 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28173?
The median household income in ZIP 28173 is $150,597, which is 97% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28173?
The median home value in ZIP 28173 is $608,000, which is 119% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28173?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28173 is White at 73.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28173?
ZIP code 28173 has 1,288 business establishments employing approximately 7,222 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28173?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28173 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (246), Construction (180), Real estate and rental and leasing (127). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28173?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28173 increased by 7.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 186%. 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 28173?
In ZIP code 28173, 72.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 58.2% 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 28173?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28173 is 31.3 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 28173?
In ZIP code 28173, approximately 90.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28173?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28173 is 4.4% 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 28173's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28173 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Waxhaw, 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.