PlainZIP

Oak Island, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28465

Brunswick County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

6,531
238/sq mi
$86,194
Median income
$479,500
Median home value
45.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Oak Island pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 31%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 14%
home value, US ZIPs
238
people per sq mi
91%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28465 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28465 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Oak Island, Brunswick County, North Carolina, home to 6,531 residents across 27.4 square miles, a density of 238 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28465 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,194 (25% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $66,508. Poverty here runs at 8.8%, with unemployment measured at 1.4%. The typical home here is valued at $479,500 (85% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,289 monthly, and 91.1% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 45.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 62, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Brunswick County, so you can benchmark 28465 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 28465

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Oak Island, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28465.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 28465, Oak Island, 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

6,531

Population

27.4

Area (sq mi)

238

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 28465?

62.0

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

1.3%

Foreign-Born

White 94.4%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.2%

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?

$86,194

Median Household Income

+25% vs state

$66,508

Per Capita Income

8.8%

Poverty Rate

1.4%

Unemployment Rate

23.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28465 ranks nationally

Oak Island, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$86,194 Top 31% higher than 69% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 65.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

10,904

Total Housing Units

4,426

Occupied Units

6,478

Vacant Units

1.98

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 91.1%
Renter 8.9%

$479,500

Median Home Value

+85% vs state

$1,289

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

+6.2%

YoY Change (2024)

423

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+323%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28465 have increased 6.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +323% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.6% 235
2021 +18.4% 279
2022 +27.3% 355
2023 +12.3% 399
2024 +6.2% 423

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 202 business establishments in ZIP 28465, employing approximately 1,454 people with a combined annual payroll of $47,311,000.

202

Businesses

1,454

Employees

$47.3M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 40 19.8%
Construction 34 16.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 32 15.8%
Retail trade 27 13.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 8.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 7.4%
Other services (except public administration) 13 6.4%
Finance and insurance 6 3.0%
Health care and social assistance 4 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 2.0%
Transportation and warehousing 3 1.5%
Information 3 1.5%

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 28465 vs 28461 →

ZIP 28465 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28465 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28465 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28465 ranks the highest of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
28461 Southport, NC 16,126 5.3 mi
28422 Bolivia, NC 6,641 8.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Brunswick County

28451 standard
Leland, NC
Pop: 27,112
28461 standard
Southport, NC
Pop: 16,126
28462 standard
Supply, NC
Pop: 11,680
28470 standard
Shallotte, NC
Pop: 10,644
28467 standard
Calabash, NC
Pop: 8,703
28422 standard
Bolivia, NC
Pop: 6,641

Related Areas

Brunswick County Oak Island, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28465 in? ▼
ZIP code 28465 (Oak Island) 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 28465? ▼
ZIP code 28465 in Oak Island, NC has a population of 6,531 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28465? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28465 is $86,194, which is 13% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28465? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28465 is $479,500, which is 72% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28465? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28465 is White at 94.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28465? ▼
ZIP code 28465 has 202 business establishments employing approximately 1,454 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28465? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28465 are: Accommodation and food services (40), Construction (34), Real estate and rental and leasing (32). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28465? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28465 increased by 6.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 323%. 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 28465? ▼
In ZIP code 28465, 65.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 45.3% 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 28465? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28465 is 23.1 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 28465? ▼
In ZIP code 28465, approximately 91.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 8.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28465? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28465 is 8.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.