PlainZIP

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 covers 7.6 square miles in Wrightsville Beach, New Hanover County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,473 residents on file, a density of 326 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28480 skews affluent, with a median household income of $172,500 (149% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $103,755. Poverty here runs at 3.8%, with unemployment measured at 0.4%. Housing costs here run $1,131,800 for a typical home value (336% above the state average), with rent averaging $2,336 a month; 81.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 73.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 59.6, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing New Hanover County, letting you compare 28480 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 28480

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wrightsville Beach, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28480.

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 28480, Wrightsville 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

2,473

Population

7.6

Area (sq mi)

326

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 28480?

59.6

Median Age

55.6%

Male

44.4%

Female

5.5%

Foreign-Born

White 96.5%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%

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

Wrightsville Beach, NC 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

$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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 84.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 73.8%

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

Owner 81.5%
Renter 18.5%

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28480 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 28480 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 28480 ranks the highest of 7 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
28411 Wilmington, NC 31,962 5.4 mi
28403 Wilmington, NC 36,063 4.9 mi
28405 Wilmington, NC 29,152 5.1 mi
28409 Wilmington, NC 31,296 6.2 mi
28412 Wilmington, NC 35,573 9.6 mi
28429 Castle Hayne, NC 8,026 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in New Hanover County

28403 standard
Wilmington, NC
Pop: 36,063
28412 standard
Wilmington, NC
Pop: 35,573
28411 standard
Wilmington, NC
Pop: 31,962
28409 standard
Wilmington, NC
Pop: 31,296
28405 standard
Wilmington, NC
Pop: 29,152
28401 standard
Wilmington, NC
Pop: 22,094

Related Areas

New Hanover County Wrightsville Beach, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28480 in? ▼
ZIP code 28480 (Wrightsville Beach) is located in New Hanover County, North Carolina. New Hanover County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/new-hanover-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28480? ▼
ZIP code 28480 in Wrightsville Beach, NC has a population of 2,473 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28480? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28480 is $172,500, which is 126% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28480? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28480 is $1,131,800, which is 307% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28480? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28480 is White at 96.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28480? ▼
ZIP code 28480 has 165 business establishments employing approximately 1,587 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28480? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28480 are: Real estate and rental and leasing (29), Accommodation and food services (27), Professional, scientific, and technical services (26). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28480? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28480 increased by 12.8% in 2021. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 206%. 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 28480? ▼
In ZIP code 28480, 84.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 73.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28480? ▼
In ZIP code 28480, approximately 81.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28480? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28480 is 3.8% 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.