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.

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 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

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 28173?

41.2

Median Age

49.9%

Male

50.1%

Female

11.9%

Foreign-Born

White 73.5%
African American 8.3%
Asian 8.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino 7.8%

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

$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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 72.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 58.2%

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

Owner 90.0%
Renter 10.0%

$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)

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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28173 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 28173 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 28173 ranks the highest of 4 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
28108 Mineral Springs, NC 54 3.1 mi
28104 Matthews, NC 28,040 10.1 mi
29707 Fort Mill, SC 17,742 8.4 mi
28277 Charlotte, NC 59,664 10.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Union County

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.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Waxhaw, NC

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