Southport, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28461
Brunswick County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 16,126
- 82/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $82,692
- Median income Near-median income area
- $428,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 42.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Southport pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 35%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 18%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 82
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28461 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28461 (Southport, NC) rose +3.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 244.9 in 2023 to 254.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28461 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Southport, Brunswick County, North Carolina, home to 16,126 residents across 195.9 square miles, a density of 82 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28461 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $82,692 (20% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $53,976. The poverty rate is 5.8%, with unemployment at 7.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $428,600 (65% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 87.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,352.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 42.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 62.6, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Brunswick County, so 28461 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 28461
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Southport, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28461.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
113 establishments
- Construction
Construction
94 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
85 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
60 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
57 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 28461, Southport, 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
16,126
Population
195.9
Area (sq mi)
82
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28461?
62.6
Median Age
49.0%
Male
51.0%
Female
3.4%
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?
$82,692
Median Household Income
+20% vs state ZIP avg
$53,976
Per Capita Income
5.8%
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Unemployment Rate
28.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28461 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Southport, 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)
$82,692 Top 20% higher than 80% 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
14,619housing units
14,619
Total Housing Units
11,150
Occupied Units
3,469
Vacant Units
2.12
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$428,600
Median Home Value
+65% vs state ZIP avg
$1,352
Median Rent
2004
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)
254
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+154%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28461 have increased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +154% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +7.1% | 173 |
| 2021 | +12.2% | 194 |
| 2022 | +21.0% | 235 |
| 2023 | +4.5% | 245 |
| 2024 | +3.8% | 254 |
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 648 business establishments in ZIP 28461, employing approximately 7,213 people with a combined annual payroll of $384,327,000.
648
Businesses
7,213
Employees
$384.3M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 113 | 17.4% |
| Construction | 94 | 14.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 85 | 13.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 60 | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 57 | 8.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 56 | 8.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 54 | 8.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 38 | 5.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 31 | 4.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13 | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 11 | 1.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 1.4% |
| Manufacturing | 8 | 1.2% |
| Information | 8 | 1.2% |
| Educational services | 5 | 0.8% |
| Utilities | 4 | 0.6% |
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 28461 vs 28465 →
ZIP 28461 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
- 28422
Bolivia (28422)
6,641 residents
- 28465
Oak Island (28465)
6,531 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 28461 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28461 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
- 28465
Oak Island (28465)
$86,194 median income
- 28461
Southport (28461)
$82,692 median income
- 28479
Winnabow (28479)
$80,391 median income
- 28422
Bolivia (28422)
$69,412 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28461 ranks #4 of 6 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 28461, 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 (16,126 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Brunswick County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28461 in?
ZIP code 28461 (Southport) is located in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Brunswick County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/brunswick-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28461?
ZIP code 28461 in Southport, NC has a population of 16,126 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28461?
The median household income in ZIP 28461 is $82,692, which is 8% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28461?
The median home value in ZIP 28461 is $428,600, which is 54% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28461?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28461 is White at 89.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28461?
ZIP code 28461 has 648 business establishments employing approximately 7,213 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28461?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28461 are: Retail trade (113), Construction (94), Accommodation and food services (85). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28461?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28461 increased by 3.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 154%. 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 28461?
In ZIP code 28461, 62.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 42.2% 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 28461?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28461 is 28.0 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 28461?
In ZIP code 28461, approximately 87.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28461?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28461 is 5.8% 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 28461's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28461 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Southport, 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.