Charlotte, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28216

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

47,208
609/sq mi
$65,795
Median income
$287,000
Median home value
33.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Charlotte pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

40th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 35%
home value, US ZIPs
609
people per sq mi
51%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28216 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28216 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 77.5 square miles in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The area is home to 47,208 residents, producing a population density of 609 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 28216 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28216 sits at $65,795 (5% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $35,272. The poverty rate stands at 12.6% and the unemployment rate at 3.1%. On housing, the median home value is $287,000 (11% above the state average) with median rent at $1,560 per month, and 50.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28216 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 33.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.7, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mecklenburg County, so you can benchmark 28216 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 28216

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28216.

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 28216, 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

47,208

Population

77.5

Area (sq mi)

609

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 28216?

34.7

Median Age

47.6%

Male

52.4%

Female

14.0%

Foreign-Born

White 19.8%
African American 58.6%
Asian 5.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 14.1%

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?

$65,795

Median Household Income

-5% vs state

$35,272

Per Capita Income

12.6%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28216 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$65,795 40th percentile higher than 40% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.4%

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

What does housing look like?

25,442

Total Housing Units

23,858

Occupied Units

1,584

Vacant Units

2.38

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 50.9%
Renter 49.1%

$287,000

Median Home Value

+11% vs state

$1,560

Median Rent

2000

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

+3.9%

YoY Change (2024)

295

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+195%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28216 have increased 3.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +195% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.1% 181
2021 +15.6% 209
2022 +26.7% 265
2023 +7.3% 284
2024 +3.9% 295

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 1,199 business establishments in ZIP 28216, employing approximately 18,468 people with a combined annual payroll of $867,160,000.

1,199

Businesses

18,468

Employees

$867.2M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 198 16.5%
Construction 150 12.5%
Other services (except public administration) 102 8.5%
Accommodation and food services 100 8.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 94 7.8%
Wholesale trade 89 7.4%
Transportation and warehousing 86 7.2%
Health care and social assistance 85 7.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 80 6.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 72 6.0%
Manufacturing 41 3.4%
Finance and insurance 38 3.2%
Information 23 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 12 1.0%
Educational services 11 0.9%

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 28216 vs 28208 →

ZIP 28216 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 28216 ranks #3 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 28216 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 28216 ranks #6 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
28208 Charlotte, NC 34,167 5.7 mi
28269 Charlotte, NC 71,048 5.1 mi
28214 Charlotte, NC 34,721 5.2 mi
28078 Huntersville, NC 52,133 6.6 mi
28206 Charlotte, NC 11,898 5.3 mi
28202 Charlotte, NC 11,195 6.3 mi
28282 Charlotte, NC 0 6.4 mi
28280 Charlotte, NC 10 6.4 mi
28244 Charlotte, NC 0 6.5 mi
28203 Charlotte, NC 11,315 7.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28216 in?
ZIP code 28216 (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 28216?
ZIP code 28216 in Charlotte, NC has a population of 47,208 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28216?
The median household income in ZIP 28216 is $65,795, which is 14% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28216?
The median home value in ZIP 28216 is $287,000, which is 3% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28216?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28216 is African American at 58.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28216?
ZIP code 28216 has 1,199 business establishments employing approximately 18,468 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28216?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28216 are: Retail trade (198), Construction (150), Other services (except public administration) (102). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28216?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28216 increased by 3.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 195%. 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 28216?
In ZIP code 28216, 54.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.4% 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 28216?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28216 is 24.9 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 28216?
In ZIP code 28216, approximately 50.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 49.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28216?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28216 is 12.6% 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 Charlotte, NC

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