Residential delivery area · North Carolina
ZIP Code 28472: Whiteville, NC
ZIP code 28472 uses the postal name Whiteville, North Carolina and lies entirely in Columbus County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 17,000 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $42,003 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, its land lies in Whiteville (3%) and Brunswick (under 1%); 97% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Whiteville · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Columbus County
- Census places
- Whiteville (3%); Brunswick (under 1%)
- Neighborhoods
- Fairfax Heights, McKenzie Woods, Runnymeade, Sunset Terrace GeoNames
- House district
- NC-7 119th Congress
- State
- North Carolina
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 197.9 sq mi · 85 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 28472?
28472 centers on 34.299°, -78.691° and covers 197.9 square miles of land plus 0.6 of water. It borders 10 ZIP codes: 28424, 28442, 28431, 28432, 28450, 28455, 28433, 28438, 28320, 28420.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 28472, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0); neighborhoods from the GeoNames gazetteer (CC BY 4.0), placed in this ZIP code by PlainZIP.
How does 28472 compare with the rest of Columbus County?
| Measure | 28472 | In Columbus County | In NC |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 16,780 | 1st of 16 | 229th of 853 |
| Median household income | $42k | 8th of 10 | 506th of 528 |
| Median home value | $151k | 5th of 10 | 501st of 572 |
Its median household income is higher than in 7% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 51% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 28472?
The 2020 Census counted 17,308 people in 28472; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 16,780. Its boundary changed between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, so the two counts are not compared.
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 16,780
- 2020 Census count
- 17,308
- Households
- 6,629
- Median age
- 40.9
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 28472?
Of the 16,780 people the ACS estimates in 28472, 21.1% are under 18 and 18.6% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (58.6%), then Black (not Hispanic) (30.6%).
- Under 1821.1%
- 18 to 6460.2%
- 65 and older18.6%
- White, not Hispanic58.6%
- Black, not Hispanic30.6%
- Hispanic or Latino5.7%
- Other or two or more4.3%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 28472 earn?
Median household income is $42,003 (ACS 2020-2024), the 8th highest of the 10 ranked ZIP codes in Columbus County.
- Median household income
- $42,003±$9,408
- Income per person
- $27,405
- Below the poverty line
- 18.7%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 4.6%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 16.2%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $54,0197,070 returns; wages 71% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 28472?
FHFA's house price index for 28472, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 84% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 49% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +17.7% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $151,000
- Median gross rent
- $845
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 71.3%
- Housing units
- 7,709
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 28472?
526 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 10 fewer than in 2018; the most are in health care and social assistance (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Health care and social assistance100
- Retail trade92
- Accommodation and food services61
- Other services (except public administration)51
- Finance and insurance37
- Professional, scientific, and technical services37
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 28472?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28424 | Brunswick | 90 | $49k | 0.8 mi |
| 28442 | Hallsboro | 1,810 | $61k | 5.2 mi |
| 28431 | Chadbourn | 5,901 | $41k | 8.8 mi |
| 28432 | Clarendon | 1,656 | $91k | 9.8 mi |
| 28450 | Lake Waccamaw | 2,337 | $70k | 11.1 mi |
| 28455 | Nakina | 1,644 | $38k | 13.4 mi |
| 28433 | Clarkton | 4,313 | $37k | 13.8 mi |
| 28438 | Evergreen | 1,582 | $59k | 15.2 mi |
| 28320 | Bladenboro | 7,962 | $58k | 18.5 mi |
| 28420 | Ash | 2,658 | $54k | 21.1 mi |
| 28430 | Cerro Gordo | 1,573 | $68k | 13.8 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.