Lake Waccamaw, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28450
Columbus County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,438
- 24/sq mi
- $69,554
- Median income
- $264,200
- Median home value
- 29.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Lake Waccamaw pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 46th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 40%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 24
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28450 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28450 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 101.6 square miles in Lake Waccamaw, Columbus County, North Carolina. The area is home to 2,438 residents, producing a population density of 24 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 28450 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28450 sits at $69,554 (1% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $41,856. The poverty rate stands at 10.0% and the unemployment rate at 4.0%. On housing, the median home value is $264,200 (2% above the state average) with median rent at $817 per month, and 73.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28450 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 29.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.6, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Columbus County, so you can benchmark 28450 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 28450
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28450.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
8 establishments
- Construction
Construction
7 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
5 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
4 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 28450, Lake Waccamaw, 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
2,438
Population
101.6
Area (sq mi)
24
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28450?
45.6
Median Age
47.2%
Male
52.8%
Female
2.2%
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?
$69,554
Median Household Income
+1% vs state
$41,856
Per Capita Income
10.0%
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Unemployment Rate
30.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28450 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$69,554 46th percentile higher than 46% 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?
1,203
Total Housing Units
846
Occupied Units
357
Vacant Units
2.49
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$264,200
Median Home Value
+2% vs state
$817
Median Rent
1979
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
+5.9%
YoY Change (2024)
240
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+140%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28450 have increased 5.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +140% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -1.0% | 133 |
| 2021 | +16.9% | 156 |
| 2022 | +20.9% | 188 |
| 2023 | +20.5% | 227 |
| 2024 | +5.9% | 240 |
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 40 business establishments in ZIP 28450, employing approximately 530 people with a combined annual payroll of $22,914,000.
40
Businesses
530
Employees
$22.9M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 8 | 20.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 8 | 20.0% |
| Construction | 7 | 17.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 12.5% |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 10.0% |
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 28450 vs 28442 →
ZIP 28450 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28450
Lake Waccamaw (28450)
2,438 residents
- 28423
Bolton (28423)
2,290 residents
- 28442
Hallsboro (28442)
1,647 residents
- 28434
Council (28434)
1,329 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28450 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28450 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28450
Lake Waccamaw (28450)
$69,554 median income
- 28442
Hallsboro (28442)
$60,964 median income
- 28423
Bolton (28423)
$52,250 median income
- 28434
Council (28434)
$49,643 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28450 ranks the highest of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Columbus County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28450 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28450? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28450? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28450? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28450? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28450? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28450? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28450? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28450? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28450? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28450? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28450? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Lake Waccamaw, 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.