Wrightsville Beach, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28480
New Hanover County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,473
- 326/sq mi
- $172,500
- Median income
- $1,131,800
- Median home value
- 73.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Wrightsville Beach pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 2%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 2%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 326
- people per sq mi
- 82%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28480 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28480 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 7.6 square miles in Wrightsville Beach, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The area is home to 2,473 residents, producing a population density of 326 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 28480 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28480 sits at $172,500 (149% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $103,755. The poverty rate stands at 3.8% and the unemployment rate at 0.4%. On housing, the median home value is $1,131,800 (336% above the state average) with median rent at $2,336 per month, and 81.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28480 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 73.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 59.6, and the average commute is —. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing New Hanover County, so you can benchmark 28480 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 28480
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28480.
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
29 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
27 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
26 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
16 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
15 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28480, Wrightsville Beach, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
2,473
Population
7.6
Area (sq mi)
326
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28480?
59.6
Median Age
55.6%
Male
44.4%
Female
5.5%
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?
$172,500
Median Household Income
+149% vs state
$103,755
Per Capita Income
3.8%
Poverty Rate
0.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28480 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$172,500 Top 2% higher than 98% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
2,940
Total Housing Units
1,360
Occupied Units
1,580
Vacant Units
2.02
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$1,131,800
Median Home Value
+336% vs state
$2,336
Median Rent
1979
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
+12.8%
YoY Change (2021)
306
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+206%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28480 have increased 12.8% over the past year (2021). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +206% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | -4.7% | 195 |
| 2018 | +18.5% | 231 |
| 2019 | +4.0% | 241 |
| 2020 | +12.8% | 271 |
| 2021 | +12.8% | 306 |
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 2021. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 165 business establishments in ZIP 28480, employing approximately 1,587 people with a combined annual payroll of $66,473,000.
165
Businesses
1,587
Employees
$66.5M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 29 | 17.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 27 | 16.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 26 | 15.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 16 | 9.7% |
| Retail trade | 15 | 9.1% |
| Construction | 14 | 8.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 8 | 4.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 4.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 4.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 6 | 3.6% |
| Educational services | 3 | 1.8% |
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 28480 vs 28411 →
ZIP 28480 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28403
Wilmington (28403)
36,063 residents
- 28412
Wilmington (28412)
35,573 residents
- 28411
Wilmington (28411)
31,962 residents
- 28409
Wilmington (28409)
31,296 residents
- 28405
Wilmington (28405)
29,152 residents
- 28429 8,026
Castle Hayne (28429)
8,026 residents
- 28480 2,473
Wrightsville Beach (28480)
2,473 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28480 ranks #7 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28480 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28480
Wrightsville Beach (28480)
$172,500 median income
- 28409
Wilmington (28409)
$111,048 median income
- 28411
Wilmington (28411)
$97,387 median income
- 28429
Castle Hayne (28429)
$72,337 median income
- 28412
Wilmington (28412)
$71,636 median income
- 28405
Wilmington (28405)
$70,274 median income
- 28403 $54,547
Wilmington (28403)
$54,547 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28480 ranks the highest of 7 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in New Hanover County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28480 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28480? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28480? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28480? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28480? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28480? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28480? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28480? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28480? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28480? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28480? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Wrightsville Beach, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.