Sunset Beach, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28468
Brunswick County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,375
- 96/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $83,358
- Median income Near-median income area
- $412,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 40.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sunset Beach pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 34%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 20%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 96
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28468 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 28468 (Sunset Beach, NC) fell -16.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 277.4 in 2023 to 232.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28468 covers 45.5 square miles in Sunset Beach, Brunswick County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,375 residents on file, a density of 96 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28468 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $83,358 (21% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $54,289. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 7.5% and unemployment is 2.1%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $412,000 (59% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 87.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,300.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 40.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 68, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Brunswick County, so 28468 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 28468
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sunset Beach, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28468.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
23 establishments
- Construction
Construction
14 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
13 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
12 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 9
Professional, scientific, and technical services
9 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 28468, Sunset 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
4,375
Population
45.5
Area (sq mi)
96
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28468?
68.0
Median Age
44.6%
Male
55.4%
Female
3.2%
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?
$83,358
Median Household Income
+21% vs state ZIP avg
$54,289
Per Capita Income
7.5%
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Unemployment Rate
21.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28468 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Sunset 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)
$83,358 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
5,707housing units
5,707
Total Housing Units
2,642
Occupied Units
3,065
Vacant Units
1.95
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$412,000
Median Home Value
+59% vs state ZIP avg
$1,300
Median Rent
1999
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
-16.1%
YoY Change (2024)
233
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+133%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28468 have decreased 16.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +133% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.3% | 158 |
| 2021 | +10.7% | 175 |
| 2022 | +23.2% | 216 |
| 2023 | +28.4% | 277 |
| 2024 | -16.1% | 233 |
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 105 business establishments in ZIP 28468, employing approximately 1,159 people with a combined annual payroll of $40,299,000.
105
Businesses
1,159
Employees
$40.3M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 23 | 21.9% |
| Construction | 14 | 13.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 13 | 12.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 11.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 9 | 8.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 9 | 8.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 3.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 3.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 3.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 3.8% |
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 28468 vs 28467 →
ZIP 28468 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29566
Little River (29566)
15,179 residents
- 29582
North Myrtle Beach (29582)
14,622 residents
- 28470
Shallotte (28470)
10,644 residents
- 28467
Calabash (28467)
8,703 residents
- 28469 5,839
Ocean Isle Beach (28469)
5,839 residents
- 28468 4,375
Sunset Beach (28468)
4,375 residents
- 28452 694
Longwood (28452)
694 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28468 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28468 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28469
Ocean Isle Beach (28469)
$90,684 median income
- 28468
Sunset Beach (28468)
$83,358 median income
- 28467
Calabash (28467)
$75,341 median income
- 29582
North Myrtle Beach (29582)
$71,723 median income
- 28470
Shallotte (28470)
$65,030 median income
- 29566
Little River (29566)
$64,878 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28468 ranks #2 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 28468, 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 (4,375 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 28468 in?
ZIP code 28468 (Sunset Beach) 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 28468?
ZIP code 28468 in Sunset Beach, NC has a population of 4,375 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28468?
The median household income in ZIP 28468 is $83,358, which is 9% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28468?
The median home value in ZIP 28468 is $412,000, which is 48% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28468?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28468 is White at 86.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28468?
ZIP code 28468 has 105 business establishments employing approximately 1,159 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28468?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28468 are: Retail trade (23), Construction (14), Real estate and rental and leasing (13). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28468?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28468 decreased by 16.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 133%. 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 28468?
In ZIP code 28468, 65.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 40.6% 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 28468?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28468 is 21.6 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 28468?
In ZIP code 28468, approximately 87.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28468?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28468 is 7.5% 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 28468's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28468 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sunset Beach, 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.