Ocean Isle Beach, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28469
Brunswick County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,839
- 101/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $90,684
- Median income Above-median income area
- $463,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 43.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Ocean Isle Beach pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 26%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 15%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 101
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28469 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 28469 (Ocean Isle Beach, NC) fell -4.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 295.6 in 2023 to 282.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28469 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ocean Isle Beach, Brunswick County, North Carolina, home to 5,839 residents across 57.6 square miles, a density of 101 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28469 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $90,684 (31% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $50,043. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.7% and unemployment is 2.3%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $463,200 (79% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 87.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $950.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 43.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 61.2, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Brunswick County, so 28469 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 28469
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28469.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
50 establishments
- Construction
Construction
45 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
33 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
24 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
20 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 28469, Ocean Isle 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
5,839
Population
57.6
Area (sq mi)
101
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28469?
61.2
Median Age
46.8%
Male
53.2%
Female
3.7%
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?
$90,684
Median Household Income
+31% vs state ZIP avg
$50,043
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28469 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Ocean Isle 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)
$90,684 Top 14% higher than 86% 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
9,258housing units
9,258
Total Housing Units
4,719
Occupied Units
4,539
Vacant Units
2.20
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$463,200
Median Home Value
+79% vs state ZIP avg
$950
Median Rent
2001
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
-4.5%
YoY Change (2024)
282
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+182%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28469 have decreased 4.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +182% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.0% | 185 |
| 2021 | +14.3% | 212 |
| 2022 | +25.1% | 265 |
| 2023 | +11.5% | 296 |
| 2024 | -4.5% | 282 |
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 260 business establishments in ZIP 28469, employing approximately 2,470 people with a combined annual payroll of $91,071,000.
260
Businesses
2,470
Employees
$91.1M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 50 | 19.2% |
| Construction | 45 | 17.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 33 | 12.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 24 | 9.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 20 | 7.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 19 | 7.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 18 | 6.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 13 | 5.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 4.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 3.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 8 | 3.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 3 | 1.1% |
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 28469 vs 28468 →
ZIP 28469 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28470
Shallotte (28470)
10,644 residents
- 28467
Calabash (28467)
8,703 residents
- 28469
Ocean Isle Beach (28469)
5,839 residents
- 28468
Sunset Beach (28468)
4,375 residents
- 28420 3,886
Ash (28420)
3,886 residents
- 28452 694
Longwood (28452)
694 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28469 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28469 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
- 28470
Shallotte (28470)
$65,030 median income
- 28420
Ash (28420)
$53,935 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28469 ranks the highest of 5 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 28469, 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 (5,839 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 28469 in?
ZIP code 28469 (Ocean Isle 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 28469?
ZIP code 28469 in Ocean Isle Beach, NC has a population of 5,839 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28469?
The median household income in ZIP 28469 is $90,684, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28469?
The median home value in ZIP 28469 is $463,200, which is 67% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28469?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28469 is White at 90.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28469?
ZIP code 28469 has 260 business establishments employing approximately 2,470 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28469?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28469 are: Retail trade (50), Construction (45), Accommodation and food services (33). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28469?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28469 decreased by 4.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 182%. 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 28469?
In ZIP code 28469, 69.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 43.0% 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 28469?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28469 is 25.5 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 28469?
In ZIP code 28469, approximately 87.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28469?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28469 is 6.7% 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 28469's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28469 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ocean Isle 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.