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
- $150,597
- Median income
- $608,000
- Median home value
- 58.2%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
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.
ZIP code 28173 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 278.7 square miles in Waxhaw, Union County, North Carolina. The area is home to 45,097 residents, producing a population density of 162 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 28173 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28173 sits at $150,597 (118% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $63,561. The poverty rate stands at 4.4% and the unemployment rate at 3.9%. On housing, the median home value is $608,000 (134% above the state average) with median rent at $1,776 per month, and 90.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28173 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 58.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.2, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Union County, so you can benchmark 28173 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 28173
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
$63,561
Per Capita Income
4.4%
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Unemployment Rate
31.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28173 ranks nationally
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?
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
$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.
More ZIP Codes in Union County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28173 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28173? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28173? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28173? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28173? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28173? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28173? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28173? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28173? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28173? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28173? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28173? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Waxhaw, 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.