Charlotte, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28278
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 19,283
- 261/sq mi
- $125,470
- Median income
- $460,600
- Median home value
- 58.2%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Charlotte pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 8%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 15%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 261
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28278 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28278 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 73.8 square miles in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The area is home to 19,283 residents, producing a population density of 261 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 28278 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28278 sits at $125,470 (81% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $56,445. The poverty rate stands at 3.5% and the unemployment rate at 3.0%. On housing, the median home value is $460,600 (78% above the state average) with median rent at $1,786 per month, and 74.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28278 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 58.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.6, and the average commute is 28 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mecklenburg County, so you can benchmark 28278 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 28278
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28278.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
93 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
85 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
58 establishments
- Construction
Construction
53 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
50 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 28278, 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
19,283
Population
73.8
Area (sq mi)
261
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28278?
36.6
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
16.9%
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?
$125,470
Median Household Income
+81% vs state
$56,445
Per Capita Income
3.5%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
27.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28278 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$125,470 Top 8% higher than 92% 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?
14,363
Total Housing Units
13,640
Occupied Units
723
Vacant Units
2.74
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$460,600
Median Home Value
+78% vs state
$1,786
Median Rent
2009
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
-3.8%
YoY Change (2024)
265
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+165%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28278 have decreased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +165% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -1.6% | 168 |
| 2021 | +17.1% | 197 |
| 2022 | +11.4% | 220 |
| 2023 | +25.4% | 275 |
| 2024 | -3.8% | 265 |
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 588 business establishments in ZIP 28278, employing approximately 5,683 people with a combined annual payroll of $275,669,000.
588
Businesses
5,683
Employees
$275.7M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 93 | 15.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 85 | 14.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 58 | 9.9% |
| Construction | 53 | 9.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 50 | 8.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 46 | 7.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 44 | 7.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 34 | 5.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 32 | 5.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 25 | 4.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 25 | 4.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 16 | 2.7% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 1.5% |
| Educational services | 9 | 1.5% |
| Information | 6 | 1.0% |
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 28278 vs 28273 →
ZIP 28278 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28214
Charlotte (28214)
34,721 residents
- 28208
Charlotte (28208)
34,167 residents
- 28273
Charlotte (28273)
31,478 residents
- 29708
Fort Mill (29708)
25,035 residents
- 29715
Fort Mill (29715)
24,823 residents
- 28217
Charlotte (28217)
24,204 residents
- 28012
Belmont (28012)
20,048 residents
- 28278
Charlotte (28278)
19,283 residents
- 28134 9,453
Pineville (28134)
9,453 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28278 ranks #8 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28278 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29708
Fort Mill (29708)
$132,018 median income
- 28278
Charlotte (28278)
$125,470 median income
- 28101
Mc Adenville (28101)
$111,042 median income
- 29715
Fort Mill (29715)
$109,689 median income
- 28273
Charlotte (28273)
$87,350 median income
- 28214
Charlotte (28214)
$86,447 median income
- 28134
Pineville (28134)
$85,681 median income
- 28012
Belmont (28012)
$83,391 median income
- 28217
Charlotte (28217)
$64,028 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28278 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28273 | Charlotte, NC | 31,478 | 3.5 mi |
| 29708 | Fort Mill, SC | 25,035 | 5.9 mi |
| 28012 | Belmont, NC | 20,048 | 5.9 mi |
| 28217 | Charlotte, NC | 24,204 | 6.3 mi |
| 28134 | Pineville, NC | 9,453 | 7.2 mi |
| 28032 | Cramerton, NC | 3,105 | 8.3 mi |
| 28214 | Charlotte, NC | 34,721 | 10.3 mi |
| 28208 | Charlotte, NC | 34,167 | 8.9 mi |
| 28101 | Mc Adenville, NC | 698 | 9.7 mi |
| 29715 | Fort Mill, SC | 24,823 | 9.4 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28278 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28278? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28278? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28278? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28278? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28278? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28278? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28278? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28278? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28278? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28278? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28278? ▼
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.