Kure Beach, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28449
New Hanover County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,692
- 164/sq mi High-density area
- $107,563
- Median income Above-median income area
- $759,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 53.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Kure Beach pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 15%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 5%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 164
- people per sq mi
- 80%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28449 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28449 covers 10.3 square miles in Kure Beach, New Hanover County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,692 residents on file, a density of 164 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28449 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $107,563 (56% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $64,660. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 3.2% and unemployment is 2.2%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $759,700 (193% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 80.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,420.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 53.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 57.2, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in New Hanover County, so 28449 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 28449
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Kure Beach, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28449.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
11 establishments
- Construction 5
Construction
5 establishments
- Retail trade 5
Retail trade
5 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 5
Real estate and rental and leasing
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 28449, Kure Beach, 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
1,692
Population
10.3
Area (sq mi)
164
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28449?
57.2
Median Age
46.7%
Male
53.3%
Female
2.3%
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?
$107,563
Median Household Income
+56% vs state ZIP avg
$64,660
Per Capita Income
3.2%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28449 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Kure Beach, 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)
$107,563 Top 8% higher than 92% 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
1,820housing units
1,820
Total Housing Units
913
Occupied Units
907
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$759,700
Median Home Value
+193% vs state ZIP avg
$1,420
Median Rent
1996
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
+20.5%
YoY Change (2022)
325
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+225%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28449 have increased 20.5% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +225% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | -3.2% | 201 |
| 2019 | +9.0% | 219 |
| 2020 | +6.7% | 234 |
| 2021 | +15.3% | 270 |
| 2022 | +20.5% | 325 |
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 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 58 business establishments in ZIP 28449, employing approximately 302 people with a combined annual payroll of $13,272,000.
58
Businesses
302
Employees
$13.3M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 29.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 11 | 19.0% |
| Construction | 5 | 8.6% |
| Retail trade | 5 | 8.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 8.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 6.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 6.9% |
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 28449 vs 28428 →
ZIP 28449 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28461
Southport (28461)
16,126 residents
- 28428 6,033
Carolina Beach (28428)
6,033 residents
- 28479 4,903
Winnabow (28479)
4,903 residents
- 28449 1,692
Kure Beach (28449)
1,692 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28449 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28449 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28449
Kure Beach (28449)
$107,563 median income
- 28428
Carolina Beach (28428)
$93,241 median income
- 28461
Southport (28461)
$82,692 median income
- 28479
Winnabow (28479)
$80,391 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28449 ranks the highest of 4 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 28449, 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 (1,692 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in New Hanover County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28449 in?
ZIP code 28449 (Kure Beach) is located in New Hanover County, North Carolina. New Hanover County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/new-hanover-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28449?
ZIP code 28449 in Kure Beach, NC has a population of 1,692 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28449?
The median household income in ZIP 28449 is $107,563, which is 41% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28449?
The median home value in ZIP 28449 is $759,700, which is 173% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28449?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28449 is White at 96.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28449?
ZIP code 28449 has 58 business establishments employing approximately 302 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28449?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28449 are: Accommodation and food services (17), Professional, scientific, and technical services (11), Construction (5). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28449?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28449 increased by 20.5% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 225%. 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 28449?
In ZIP code 28449, 71.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 53.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28449?
In ZIP code 28449, approximately 80.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28449?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28449 is 3.2% 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 28449's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28449 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Kure Beach, 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.