PlainZIP

Charlotte, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28212

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

38,457
1,607/sq mi
$52,723
Median income
$266,900
Median home value
23.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Charlotte pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 39%
home value, US ZIPs
1,607
people per sq mi
38%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28212 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28212 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, with 38,457 residents across 23.9 square miles, a density of 1,607 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28212 reports a modest median household income of $52,723 (24% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $26,936. Poverty here runs at 16.4%, with unemployment measured at 5.8%. Housing costs here run $266,900 for a typical home value (3% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,362 a month; 38.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.3, and the average commute is 30 minutes. To put 28212 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Mecklenburg County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 28212

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Charlotte, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28212.

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 28212, 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

38,457

Population

23.9

Area (sq mi)

1,607

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 28212?

32.3

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

31.0%

Foreign-Born

White 21.0%
African American 35.8%
Asian 8.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 12.5%
Hispanic or Latino 36.0%

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?

$52,723

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$26,936

Per Capita Income

16.4%

Poverty Rate

5.8%

Unemployment Rate

29.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28212 ranks nationally

Charlotte, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,723 18th percentile higher than 18% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 49.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.1%

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

What does housing look like?

17,146

Total Housing Units

15,649

Occupied Units

1,497

Vacant Units

2.70

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 38.0%
Renter 62.0%

$266,900

Median Home Value

+3% vs state

$1,362

Median Rent

1981

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

+5.8%

YoY Change (2024)

318

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+218%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28212 have increased 5.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +218% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.7% 187
2021 +17.3% 220
2022 +27.4% 280
2023 +7.3% 300
2024 +5.8% 318

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 631 business establishments in ZIP 28212, employing approximately 6,758 people with a combined annual payroll of $422,819,000.

631

Businesses

6,758

Employees

$422.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 87 13.8%
Retail trade 84 13.3%
Construction 81 12.8%
Other services (except public administration) 70 11.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 58 9.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 55 8.7%
Accommodation and food services 44 7.0%
Finance and insurance 34 5.4%
Transportation and warehousing 26 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 3.8%
Information 18 2.9%
Educational services 15 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 1.6%
Manufacturing 9 1.4%
Wholesale trade 8 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 1.1%

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 28212 vs 28211 →

ZIP 28212 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 28212 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 28212 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 28212 ranks #null of 9 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
28211 Charlotte, NC 28,523 3.2 mi
28205 Charlotte, NC 43,931 3.2 mi
28207 Charlotte, NC 9,280 4.6 mi
28270 Charlotte, NC 31,525 5.6 mi
28227 Charlotte, NC 49,635 5.3 mi
28105 Matthews, NC 39,586 5.3 mi
28204 Charlotte, NC 4,796 4.9 mi
28213 Charlotte, NC 37,309 6.6 mi
28215 Charlotte, NC 53,629 4.9 mi
28209 Charlotte, NC 20,317 6.2 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 28212 in? ▼
ZIP code 28212 (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 28212? ▼
ZIP code 28212 in Charlotte, NC has a population of 38,457 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28212? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28212 is $52,723, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28212? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28212 is $266,900, which is 4% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28212? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28212 is African American at 35.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 36.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28212? ▼
ZIP code 28212 has 631 business establishments employing approximately 6,758 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28212? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28212 are: Health care and social assistance (87), Retail trade (84), Construction (81). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28212? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28212 increased by 5.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 218%. 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 28212? ▼
In ZIP code 28212, 49.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.1% 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 28212? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28212 is 29.8 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 28212? ▼
In ZIP code 28212, approximately 38.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 62.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28212? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28212 is 16.4% 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.