Ellerbe, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28338
Richmond County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,607
- 12/sq mi Low-density area
- $58,532
- Median income Below-median income area
- $156,900
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 17.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Ellerbe pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 27th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 28th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28338 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28338 covers 371.5 square miles in Ellerbe, Richmond County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,607 residents on file, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28338 reports a modest median household income of $58,532 (15% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,011. Unemployment is 12.6%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $156,900 (40% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $590; owner occupancy is 77.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.8, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Richmond County, so 28338 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 28338
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ellerbe, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28338.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
5 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
5 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
5 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 28338, Ellerbe, 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
4,607
Population
371.5
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28338?
42.8
Median Age
48.8%
Male
51.2%
Female
7.4%
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?
$58,532
Median Household Income
-15% vs state ZIP avg
$28,011
Per Capita Income
16.4%
Poverty Rate
12.6%
Unemployment Rate
25.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28338 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Ellerbe, 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)
$58,532 35th percentile higher than 35% 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
1,810housing units
1,810
Total Housing Units
1,418
Occupied Units
392
Vacant Units
2.30
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$156,900
Median Home Value
-40% vs state ZIP avg
$590
Median Rent
1981
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 48 business establishments in ZIP 28338, employing approximately 222 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,202,000.
48
Businesses
222
Employees
$7.2M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 8 | 16.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 16.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 10.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 10.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 5 | 10.4% |
| Construction | 4 | 8.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 6.3% |
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 28338 vs 28367 →
ZIP 28338 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28338
Ellerbe (28338)
4,607 residents
- 27229
Candor (27229)
3,929 residents
- 27281
Jackson Springs (27281)
3,100 residents
- 28367 87
Norman (28367)
87 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28338 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28338 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27281
Jackson Springs (27281)
$74,547 median income
- 28338
Ellerbe (28338)
$58,532 median income
- 27229
Candor (27229)
$51,436 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28338 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28338, 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 (4,607 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Richmond County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28338 in?
ZIP code 28338 (Ellerbe) is located in Richmond County, North Carolina. Richmond County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/richmond-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28338?
ZIP code 28338 in Ellerbe, NC has a population of 4,607 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28338?
The median household income in ZIP 28338 is $58,532, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28338?
The median home value in ZIP 28338 is $156,900, which is 44% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28338?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28338 is White at 56.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28338?
ZIP code 28338 has 48 business establishments employing approximately 222 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28338?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28338 are: Retail trade (8), Other services (except public administration) (8), Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (5). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28338?
In ZIP code 28338, 44.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.2% 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 28338?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28338 is 25.3 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 28338?
In ZIP code 28338, approximately 77.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28338?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28338 is 16.4% 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 28338's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28338 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ellerbe, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.