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
- $101,873
- Median income
- $623,000
- Median home value
- 70.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
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.
ZIP code 28209 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 14.2 square miles in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The area is home to 20,317 residents, producing a population density of 1,431 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 28209 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28209 sits at $101,873 (47% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $86,125. The poverty rate stands at 6.7% and the unemployment rate at 2.4%. On housing, the median home value is $623,000 (140% above the state average) with median rent at $1,710 per month, and 48.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28209 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 70.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.7, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mecklenburg County, so you can benchmark 28209 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 28209
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
$86,125
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
21.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28209 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$101,873 Top 18% higher than 82% 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?
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
$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 |
More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28209 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28209? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28209? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28209? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28209? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28209? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28209? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28209? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28209? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28209? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28209? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28209? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Charlotte, 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.