PlainZIP

Dover, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28526

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

2,489
11/sq mi
$39,110
Median income
$124,200
Median home value
20.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Dover pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
11
people per sq mi
83%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28526 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28526 covers 222.2 square miles in Dover, Craven County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,489 residents on file, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28526 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $39,110 (43% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $30,816. Local economic indicators show a 17.4% poverty rate alongside 1.0% unemployment. Housing costs here run $124,200 for a typical home value (52% below the state average), with rent averaging $920 a month; 82.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 55.2, and the average commute is -. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Craven County, so you can benchmark 28526 against its immediate geography rather than a national average 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 28526

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dover, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28526.

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 28526, Dover, 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

2,489

Population

222.2

Area (sq mi)

11

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 28526?

55.2

Median Age

45.8%

Male

54.2%

Female

0.2%

Foreign-Born

White 67.4%
African American 30.6%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%

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?

$39,110

Median Household Income

-43% vs state

$30,816

Per Capita Income

17.4%

Poverty Rate

1.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 28526 ranks nationally

Dover, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$39,110 5th percentile higher than 5% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 46.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.9%

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

What does housing look like?

1,220

Total Housing Units

980

Occupied Units

240

Vacant Units

1.88

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 82.8%
Renter 17.2%

$124,200

Median Home Value

-52% vs state

$920

Median Rent

1989

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 24 business establishments in ZIP 28526, employing approximately 115 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,381,000.

24

Businesses

115

Employees

$4.4M

Annual Payroll

4

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 5 20.8%
Construction 4 16.7%
Transportation and warehousing 3 12.5%
Other services (except public administration) 3 12.5%

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 28526 vs 28501 →

ZIP 28526 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 28526 ranks #3 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 28526 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 28526 ranks #2 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
28501 Kinston, NC 20,389 7.0 mi
28530 Grifton, NC 7,332 8.5 mi
28523 Cove City, NC 2,456 6.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Craven County

28562 standard
New Bern, NC
Pop: 36,176
28560 standard
New Bern, NC
Pop: 28,921
28532 standard
Havelock, NC
Pop: 23,320
28586 standard
Vanceboro, NC
Pop: 8,218
28530 standard
Grifton, NC
Pop: 7,332
28533 standard
Cherry Point, NC
Pop: 2,952

Related Areas

Craven County Dover, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28526 in? ▼
ZIP code 28526 (Dover) is located in Craven County, North Carolina. Craven County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/craven-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28526? ▼
ZIP code 28526 in Dover, NC has a population of 2,489 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28526? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28526 is $39,110, which is 49% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28526? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28526 is $124,200, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28526? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28526 is White at 67.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28526? ▼
ZIP code 28526 has 24 business establishments employing approximately 115 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28526? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28526 are: Retail trade (5), Construction (4), Transportation and warehousing (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28526? ▼
In ZIP code 28526, 46.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.9% 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 28526? ▼
In ZIP code 28526, approximately 82.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28526? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28526 is 17.4% 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.