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 Low-density area
- $39,110
- Median income Below-median income area
- $124,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,816. The poverty rate is 17.4%, with unemployment at 1.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $124,200 (52% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $920; owner occupancy is 82.8%.
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 -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Craven County, so 28526 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 28526
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dover, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28526.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
5 establishments
- Construction
Construction
4 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
3 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
3 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 28526?
55.2
Median Age
45.8%
Male
54.2%
Female
0.2%
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?
$39,110
Median Household Income
-43% vs state ZIP avg
$30,816
Per Capita Income
17.4%
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28526 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Dover, 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)
$39,110 5th percentile higher than 5% 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
1,220housing units
1,220
Total Housing Units
980
Occupied Units
240
Vacant Units
1.88
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$124,200
Median Home Value
-52% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 28501
Kinston (28501)
20,389 residents
- 28530 7,332
Grifton (28530)
7,332 residents
- 28526 2,489
Dover (28526)
2,489 residents
- 28523 2,456
Cove City (28523)
2,456 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28526 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28526 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28523
Cove City (28523)
$45,452 median income
- 28526
Dover (28526)
$39,110 median income
- 28530
Grifton (28530)
$37,361 median income
- 28501
Kinston (28501)
$35,118 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28526, 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 (2,489 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Craven County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28526's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28526 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Dover, 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.