Charlotte, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28209
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 20,317
- 1,431/sq mi High-density area
- $101,873
- Median income Above-median income area
- $623,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 70.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Charlotte pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 18%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 8%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,431
- people per sq mi
- 48%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28209 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 28209 (Charlotte, NC) rose +8.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 381.5 in 2023 to 414.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28209 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, with 20,317 residents across 14.2 square miles, a density of 1,431 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28209 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $101,873 (47% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $86,125. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.7% and unemployment is 2.4%. Housing costs run above the statewide ZIP benchmark while renting is common: median home value is $623,000 (140% above the average North Carolina ZIP), with only 48.0% owner-occupied homes and median rent of $1,710.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 70.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.7, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Mecklenburg County, so 28209 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 28209
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Charlotte, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28209.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
176 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
138 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
114 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
111 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
103 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 28209, 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
20,317
Population
14.2
Area (sq mi)
1,431
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28209?
33.7
Median Age
53.3%
Male
46.7%
Female
8.0%
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?
$101,873
Median Household Income
+47% vs state ZIP avg
$86,125
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
21.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28209 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Charlotte, 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)
$101,873 Top 9% higher than 91% 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
13,943housing units
13,943
Total Housing Units
12,793
Occupied Units
1,150
Vacant Units
1.89
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$623,000
Median Home Value
+140% vs state ZIP avg
$1,710
Median Rent
1989
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
+8.8%
YoY Change (2024)
415
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+315%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28209 have increased 8.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +315% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.5% | 273 |
| 2021 | +11.9% | 305 |
| 2022 | +17.0% | 357 |
| 2023 | +6.8% | 381 |
| 2024 | +8.8% | 415 |
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 1,088 business establishments in ZIP 28209, employing approximately 16,612 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,665,901,000.
1,088
Businesses
16,612
Employees
$1.7B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 176 | 16.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 138 | 12.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 114 | 10.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 111 | 10.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 103 | 9.5% |
| Retail trade | 93 | 8.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 93 | 8.6% |
| Construction | 60 | 5.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 49 | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 38 | 3.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 33 | 3.0% |
| Information | 21 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 16 | 1.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 15 | 1.4% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 1.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 1.0% |
| Industries not classified | 4 | 0.4% |
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 28209 vs 28203 →
ZIP 28209 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28210
Charlotte (28210)
42,263 residents
- 28211
Charlotte (28211)
28,523 residents
- 28217
Charlotte (28217)
24,204 residents
- 28209
Charlotte (28209)
20,317 residents
- 28203 11,315
Charlotte (28203)
11,315 residents
- 28202 11,195
Charlotte (28202)
11,195 residents
- 28207 9,280
Charlotte (28207)
9,280 residents
- 28204 4,796
Charlotte (28204)
4,796 residents
- 28280 10
Charlotte (28280)
10 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28209 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28209 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28207
Charlotte (28207)
$217,204 median income
- 28211
Charlotte (28211)
$132,917 median income
- 28202
Charlotte (28202)
$105,889 median income
- 28203
Charlotte (28203)
$104,696 median income
- 28209
Charlotte (28209)
$101,873 median income
- 28210
Charlotte (28210)
$100,824 median income
- 28204
Charlotte (28204)
$92,054 median income
- 28217 $64,028
Charlotte (28217)
$64,028 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28209 ranks #5 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28203 | Charlotte, NC | 11,315 | 2.1 mi |
| 28207 | Charlotte, NC | 9,280 | 1.9 mi |
| 28210 | Charlotte, NC | 42,263 | 3.4 mi |
| 28282 | Charlotte, NC | 0 | 3.2 mi |
| 28244 | Charlotte, NC | 0 | 3.2 mi |
| 28202 | Charlotte, NC | 11,195 | 3.4 mi |
| 28280 | Charlotte, NC | 10 | 3.4 mi |
| 28217 | Charlotte, NC | 24,204 | 3.1 mi |
| 28204 | Charlotte, NC | 4,796 | 2.9 mi |
| 28211 | Charlotte, NC | 28,523 | 3.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28209, 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 (20,317 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28209 in?
ZIP code 28209 (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 28209?
ZIP code 28209 in Charlotte, NC has a population of 20,317 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28209?
The median household income in ZIP 28209 is $101,873, which is 34% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28209?
The median home value in ZIP 28209 is $623,000, which is 124% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28209?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28209 is White at 76.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28209?
ZIP code 28209 has 1,088 business establishments employing approximately 16,612 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28209?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28209 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (176), Real estate and rental and leasing (138), Health care and social assistance (114). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28209?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28209 increased by 8.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 315%. 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 28209?
In ZIP code 28209, 80.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 70.9% 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 28209?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28209 is 21.3 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 28209?
In ZIP code 28209, approximately 48.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 52.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28209?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28209 is 6.7% 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 28209's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28209 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Charlotte, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.