Beaufort, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28516
Carteret County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 11,431
- 21/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $66,057
- Median income Near-median income area
- $315,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 31.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Beaufort pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 40th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 31%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 21
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28516 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28516 (Beaufort, NC) fell -6.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 290.9 in 2023 to 272.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28516 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Beaufort, Carteret County, North Carolina, home to 11,431 residents across 544.3 square miles, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28516 reports a modest median household income of $66,057 (4% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $45,301. The poverty rate is 11.8%, with unemployment at 3.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $315,400 (22% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 72.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $944.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 55.6, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Carteret County, so 28516 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 28516
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Beaufort, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28516.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
58 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
48 establishments
- Construction
Construction
47 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
41 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
29 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28516, Beaufort, 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
11,431
Population
544.3
Area (sq mi)
21
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28516?
55.6
Median Age
47.9%
Male
52.1%
Female
2.1%
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?
$66,057
Median Household Income
-4% vs state ZIP avg
$45,301
Per Capita Income
11.8%
Poverty Rate
3.5%
Unemployment Rate
21.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28516 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Beaufort, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$66,057 Top 47% higher than 53% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
7,481housing units
7,481
Total Housing Units
5,774
Occupied Units
1,707
Vacant Units
1.92
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$315,400
Median Home Value
+22% vs state ZIP avg
$944
Median Rent
1988
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
-6.5%
YoY Change (2024)
272
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+172%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28516 have decreased 6.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +172% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.3% | 183 |
| 2021 | +14.9% | 211 |
| 2022 | +12.7% | 237 |
| 2023 | +22.5% | 291 |
| 2024 | -6.5% | 272 |
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 335 business establishments in ZIP 28516, employing approximately 2,733 people with a combined annual payroll of $106,864,000.
335
Businesses
2,733
Employees
$106.9M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 58 | 17.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 48 | 14.3% |
| Construction | 47 | 14.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 41 | 12.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 29 | 8.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 23 | 6.9% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 5.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 15 | 4.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13 | 3.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 12 | 3.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 12 | 3.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 2.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 1.8% |
| Information | 3 | 0.9% |
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 28516 vs 28589 →
ZIP 28516 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28516
Beaufort (28516)
11,431 residents
- 28579 622
Smyrna (28579)
622 residents
- 28524 426
Davis (28524)
426 residents
- 28581 214
Stacy (28581)
214 residents
- 28589 180
Williston (28589)
180 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28516 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28516 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28524
Davis (28524)
$74,219 median income
- 28516
Beaufort (28516)
$66,057 median income
- 28579
Smyrna (28579)
$64,519 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28516 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28516, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (11,431 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Carteret County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28516 in?
ZIP code 28516 (Beaufort) is located in Carteret County, North Carolina. Carteret County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/carteret-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28516?
ZIP code 28516 in Beaufort, NC has a population of 11,431 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28516?
The median household income in ZIP 28516 is $66,057, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28516?
The median home value in ZIP 28516 is $315,400, which is 13% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28516?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28516 is White at 84.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28516?
ZIP code 28516 has 335 business establishments employing approximately 2,733 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28516?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28516 are: Retail trade (58), Other services (except public administration) (48), Construction (47). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28516?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28516 decreased by 6.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 172%. 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 28516?
In ZIP code 28516, 55.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.4% 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 28516?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28516 is 21.1 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 28516?
In ZIP code 28516, approximately 72.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28516?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28516 is 11.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28516's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28516 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Beaufort, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.