PlainZIP

Jacksonville, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28540

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

49,252
184/sq mi
$65,625
Median income
$223,800
Median home value
24.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Jacksonville pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

39th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 50%
home value, US ZIPs
184
people per sq mi
62%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28540 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28540 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, with 49,252 residents across 267.4 square miles, a density of 184 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28540 reports a modest median household income of $65,625 (5% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $31,632. 16.1% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.7%. Housing costs here run $223,800 for a typical home value (14% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,091 a month; 61.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.2, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 28540 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Onslow County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 28540

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Jacksonville, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28540.

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 28540, Jacksonville, 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

49,252

Population

267.4

Area (sq mi)

184

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 28540?

30.2

Median Age

52.3%

Male

47.7%

Female

3.7%

Foreign-Born

White 66.2%
African American 14.7%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%

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?

$65,625

Median Household Income

-5% vs state

$31,632

Per Capita Income

16.1%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

23.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28540 ranks nationally

Jacksonville, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$65,625 39th percentile higher than 39% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 56.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.3%

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

What does housing look like?

21,131

Total Housing Units

19,048

Occupied Units

2,083

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 61.8%
Renter 38.2%

$223,800

Median Home Value

-14% vs state

$1,091

Median Rent

1986

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

+7.3%

YoY Change (2024)

243

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+143%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28540 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +143% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.3% 154
2021 +13.1% 174
2022 +15.2% 201
2023 +12.9% 227
2024 +7.3% 243

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 928 business establishments in ZIP 28540, employing approximately 10,594 people with a combined annual payroll of $373,886,000.

928

Businesses

10,594

Employees

$373.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 166 17.9%
Accommodation and food services 118 12.7%
Other services (except public administration) 115 12.4%
Construction 101 10.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 81 8.7%
Health care and social assistance 71 7.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 68 7.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 48 5.2%
Finance and insurance 40 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 30 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 24 2.6%
Wholesale trade 19 2.0%
Educational services 16 1.7%
Manufacturing 14 1.5%
Information 11 1.2%
Utilities 3 0.3%

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 28540 vs 28543 →

ZIP 28540 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 28540 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 28540 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 28540 ranks #4 of 6 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
28543 Tarawa Terrace, NC 4,699 7.4 mi
28546 Jacksonville, NC 42,696 8.7 mi
28574 Richlands, NC 15,102 9.8 mi
28547 Camp Lejeune, NC 21,884 9.5 mi
28454 Maple Hill, NC 2,545 9.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Onslow County

28546 standard
Jacksonville, NC
Pop: 42,696
28547 standard
Camp Lejeune, NC
Pop: 21,884
28539 standard
Hubert, NC
Pop: 15,469
28574 standard
Richlands, NC
Pop: 15,102
28460 standard
Sneads Ferry, NC
Pop: 7,652
28445 standard
Holly Ridge, NC
Pop: 5,676

Related Areas

Onslow County Jacksonville, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28540 in? ▼
ZIP code 28540 (Jacksonville) is located in Onslow County, North Carolina. Onslow County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/onslow-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28540? ▼
ZIP code 28540 in Jacksonville, NC has a population of 49,252 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28540? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28540 is $65,625, which is 14% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28540? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28540 is $223,800, which is 20% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28540? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28540 is White at 66.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28540? ▼
ZIP code 28540 has 928 business establishments employing approximately 10,594 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28540? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28540 are: Retail trade (166), Accommodation and food services (118), Other services (except public administration) (115). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28540? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28540 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 143%. 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 28540? ▼
In ZIP code 28540, 56.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.3% 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 28540? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28540 is 23.8 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 28540? ▼
In ZIP code 28540, approximately 61.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 38.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28540? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28540 is 16.1% 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.