PlainZIP

Whiteville, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28472

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

19,658
42/sq mi
$42,003
Median income
$151,000
Median home value
16.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Whiteville pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

7th pct
household income, US ZIPs
26th pct
home value, US ZIPs
42
people per sq mi
71%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28472 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28472 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Whiteville, Columbus County, North Carolina, home to 19,658 residents across 469.2 square miles, a density of 42 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28472 reports a modest median household income of $42,003 (39% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $27,405. Local economic indicators show a 18.7% poverty rate alongside 4.6% unemployment. Median home value sits at $151,000 (42% below the state average), median rent at $845 a month, and owner-occupancy at 71.3%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.9, and the average commute is 25 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Columbus County, letting you compare 28472 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 28472

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Whiteville, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28472.

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 28472, Whiteville, 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

19,658

Population

469.2

Area (sq mi)

42

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 28472?

40.9

Median Age

46.7%

Male

53.3%

Female

3.2%

Foreign-Born

White 59.1%
African American 30.7%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 3.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%

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?

$42,003

Median Household Income

-39% vs state

$27,405

Per Capita Income

18.7%

Poverty Rate

4.6%

Unemployment Rate

25.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28472 ranks nationally

Whiteville, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$42,003 7th percentile higher than 7% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 52.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.2%

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

What does housing look like?

7,709

Total Housing Units

6,629

Occupied Units

1,080

Vacant Units

2.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.3%
Renter 28.7%

$151,000

Median Home Value

-42% vs state

$845

Median Rent

1981

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

-12.9%

YoY Change (2024)

167

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+67%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28472 have decreased 12.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +67% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +9.1% 132
2021 +11.5% 147
2022 +12.3% 165
2023 +16.3% 192
2024 -12.9% 167

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 526 business establishments in ZIP 28472, employing approximately 7,150 people with a combined annual payroll of $268,211,000.

526

Businesses

7,150

Employees

$268.2M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 100 19.0%
Retail trade 92 17.5%
Accommodation and food services 61 11.6%
Other services (except public administration) 51 9.7%
Finance and insurance 37 7.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 37 7.0%
Construction 33 6.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 4.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 4.6%
Manufacturing 13 2.5%
Information 13 2.5%
Transportation and warehousing 11 2.1%
Wholesale trade 9 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 1.3%
Educational services 4 0.8%
Utilities 3 0.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 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 28472 vs 28424 →

ZIP 28472 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 28472 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 28472 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 28472 ranks #4 of 4 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
28424 Brunswick, NC 128 1.3 mi
28442 Hallsboro, NC 1,647 5.1 mi
28432 Clarendon, NC 1,968 10.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Columbus County

28463 standard
Tabor City, NC
Pop: 9,799
28431 standard
Chadbourn, NC
Pop: 7,102
28450 standard
Lake Waccamaw, NC
Pop: 2,438
28423 standard
Bolton, NC
Pop: 2,290
28436 standard
Delco, NC
Pop: 2,203
28455 standard
Nakina, NC
Pop: 2,117

Related Areas

Columbus County Whiteville, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28472 in? ▼
ZIP code 28472 (Whiteville) is located in Columbus County, North Carolina. Columbus County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/columbus-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28472? ▼
ZIP code 28472 in Whiteville, NC has a population of 19,658 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28472? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28472 is $42,003, which is 45% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28472? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28472 is $151,000, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28472? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28472 is White at 59.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28472? ▼
ZIP code 28472 has 526 business establishments employing approximately 7,150 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28472? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28472 are: Health care and social assistance (100), Retail trade (92), Accommodation and food services (61). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28472? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28472 decreased by 12.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 67%. 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 28472? ▼
In ZIP code 28472, 52.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.2% 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 28472? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28472 is 25.4 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 28472? ▼
In ZIP code 28472, approximately 71.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28472? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28472 is 18.7% 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.