PlainZIP

Charlotte, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28203

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

11,315
1,317/sq mi
$104,696
Median income
$707,800
Median home value
81.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Charlotte pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

Top 16%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 6%
home value, US ZIPs
1,317
people per sq mi
29%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28203 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28203 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, home to 11,315 residents across 8.6 square miles, a density of 1,317 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28203 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $104,696 (51% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $92,528. 8.4% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 1.7%. On housing, the median home value is $707,800 (173% above the state average) with median rent at $1,921 per month, and 29.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 81.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 28.7, and the average commute is 20 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mecklenburg County, so you can benchmark 28203 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 28203

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Charlotte, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28203.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28203, Charlotte, 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

11,315

Population

8.6

Area (sq mi)

1,317

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 28203?

28.7

Median Age

46.3%

Male

53.7%

Female

6.6%

Foreign-Born

White 79.2%
African American 10.1%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.4%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%

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?

$104,696

Median Household Income

+51% vs state

$92,528

Per Capita Income

8.4%

Poverty Rate

1.7%

Unemployment Rate

19.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28203 ranks nationally

Charlotte, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$104,696 Top 16% higher than 84% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $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 86.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 81.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

12,141

Total Housing Units

11,038

Occupied Units

1,103

Vacant Units

1.70

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 29.4%
Renter 70.6%

$707,800

Median Home Value

+173% vs state

$1,921

Median Rent

2008

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

+3.2%

YoY Change (2024)

436

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+336%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28203 have increased 3.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +336% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.0% 300
2021 +11.0% 333
2022 +21.5% 405
2023 +4.3% 423
2024 +3.2% 436

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 1,557 business establishments in ZIP 28203, employing approximately 35,664 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,155,501,000.

1,557

Businesses

35,664

Employees

$3.2B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 339 21.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 172 11.1%
Health care and social assistance 167 10.7%
Accommodation and food services 163 10.5%
Other services (except public administration) 149 9.6%
Retail trade 132 8.5%
Finance and insurance 94 6.0%
Construction 92 5.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 63 4.0%
Wholesale trade 57 3.7%
Information 32 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 30 1.9%
Manufacturing 23 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 16 1.0%
Educational services 12 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 10 0.6%
Industries not classified 4 0.3%

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 28203 vs 28282 →

ZIP 28203 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 28203 ranks #5 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 28203 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 28203 ranks #3 of 8 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
28282 Charlotte, NC 0 1.4 mi
28244 Charlotte, NC 0 1.5 mi
28202 Charlotte, NC 11,195 1.6 mi
28280 Charlotte, NC 10 1.5 mi
28209 Charlotte, NC 20,317 2.1 mi
28204 Charlotte, NC 4,796 1.9 mi
28207 Charlotte, NC 9,280 2.1 mi
28208 Charlotte, NC 34,167 3.3 mi
28210 Charlotte, NC 42,263 5.5 mi
28205 Charlotte, NC 43,931 4.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County

28269 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 71,048
28277 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 59,664
28215 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 53,629
28078 standard
Huntersville, NC
Pop: 52,133
28227 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 49,635
28216 standard
Charlotte, NC
Pop: 47,208

Related Areas

Mecklenburg County Charlotte, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28203 in? ▼
ZIP code 28203 (Charlotte) is located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Mecklenburg County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mecklenburg-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28203? ▼
ZIP code 28203 in Charlotte, NC has a population of 11,315 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28203? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28203 is $104,696, which is 37% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28203? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28203 is $707,800, which is 154% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28203? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28203 is White at 79.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28203? ▼
ZIP code 28203 has 1,557 business establishments employing approximately 35,664 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28203? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28203 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (339), Real estate and rental and leasing (172), Health care and social assistance (167). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28203? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28203 increased by 3.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 336%. 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 28203? ▼
In ZIP code 28203, 86.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 81.1% 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 28203? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28203 is 19.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28203? ▼
In ZIP code 28203, approximately 29.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 70.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28203? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28203 is 8.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.