ZIP Code 28501

ZIP code 28501 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 275.2 square miles in Kinston, Lenoir County, North Carolina. The area is home to 20,389 residents, producing a population density of 74 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 28501 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28501 sits at $35,118 (49% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $28,872. The poverty rate stands at 29.4% and the unemployment rate at 11.6%. On housing, the median home value is $79,000 (70% below the state average) with median rent at $799 per month, and 48.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28501 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 13.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.7, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 additional ZIPs sharing Lenoir County, so you can benchmark 28501 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 →