Chadbourn, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28431
Columbus County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,102
- 36/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $40,888
- Median income Below-median income area
- $136,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chadbourn pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 6th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 21st pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 36
- people per sq mi
- 66%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28431 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28431 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chadbourn, Columbus County, North Carolina, home to 7,102 residents across 195.1 square miles, a density of 36 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28431 reports a modest median household income of $40,888 (41% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,525. The poverty rate is 28.1%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $136,000 (48% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $767; owner occupancy is 66.3%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.4, and the average commute is 37 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Columbus County, so 28431 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 28431
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chadbourn, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28431.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
23 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
11 establishments
- Construction 9
Construction
9 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 8
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 5
Accommodation and food 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 28431, Chadbourn, 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
7,102
Population
195.1
Area (sq mi)
36
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28431?
49.4
Median Age
51.1%
Male
48.9%
Female
0.4%
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?
$40,888
Median Household Income
-41% vs state ZIP avg
$28,525
Per Capita Income
28.1%
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Unemployment Rate
36.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28431 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Chadbourn, 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)
$40,888 7th percentile higher than 7% 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
3,279housing units
3,279
Total Housing Units
2,835
Occupied Units
444
Vacant Units
2.08
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$136,000
Median Home Value
-48% vs state ZIP avg
$767
Median Rent
1982
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 77 business establishments in ZIP 28431, employing approximately 555 people with a combined annual payroll of $16,793,000.
77
Businesses
555
Employees
$16.8M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 23 | 29.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 11 | 14.3% |
| Construction | 9 | 11.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 10.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5 | 6.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 5.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 3.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 3.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 3.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 3.9% |
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 28431 vs 28430 →
ZIP 28431 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28431
Chadbourn (28431)
7,102 residents
- 28432 1,968
Clarendon (28432)
1,968 residents
- 28430 1,900
Cerro Gordo (28430)
1,900 residents
- 28438 1,845
Evergreen (28438)
1,845 residents
- 28424 128
Brunswick (28424)
128 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28431 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28431 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28432
Clarendon (28432)
$90,815 median income
- 28430
Cerro Gordo (28430)
$68,356 median income
- 28438
Evergreen (28438)
$59,199 median income
- 28424
Brunswick (28424)
$48,875 median income
- 28431
Chadbourn (28431)
$40,888 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28431 ranks #5 of 5 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 28431, 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 (7,102 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Columbus County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28431 in?
ZIP code 28431 (Chadbourn) is located in Columbus County, North Carolina. Columbus County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/columbus-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28431?
ZIP code 28431 in Chadbourn, NC has a population of 7,102 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28431?
The median household income in ZIP 28431 is $40,888, which is 46% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28431?
The median home value in ZIP 28431 is $136,000, which is 51% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28431?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28431 is White at 60.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28431?
ZIP code 28431 has 77 business establishments employing approximately 555 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28431?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28431 are: Retail trade (23), Health care and social assistance (11), Construction (9). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28431?
In ZIP code 28431, 52.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.3% 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 28431?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28431 is 36.6 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 28431?
In ZIP code 28431, approximately 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28431?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28431 is 28.1% 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 28431's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28431 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chadbourn, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.