PlainZIP

Tarawa Terrace, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28543

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

4,699
887/sq mi
$50,649
Median income
38.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Tarawa Terrace pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

15th pct
household income, US ZIPs
887
people per sq mi
3%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28543 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28543 covers 5.3 square miles in Tarawa Terrace, Onslow County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,699 residents on file, a density of 887 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28543 reports a modest median household income of $50,649 (27% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $22,876. Poverty here runs at 8.3%, with unemployment measured at 2.6%. The typical home here is valued at -; renters pay a median of $1,418 monthly, and 2.9% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 21.4, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Onslow County, letting you compare 28543 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 →

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 28543, Tarawa Terrace, 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

4,699

Population

5.3

Area (sq mi)

887

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 28543?

21.4

Median Age

61.7%

Male

38.3%

Female

4.2%

Foreign-Born

White 58.7%
African American 21.4%
Asian 3.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.4%
Hispanic or Latino 16.3%

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?

$50,649

Median Household Income

-27% vs state

$22,876

Per Capita Income

8.3%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 28543 ranks nationally

Tarawa Terrace, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$50,649 15th percentile higher than 15% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.9%

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

What does housing look like?

2,056

Total Housing Units

1,645

Occupied Units

411

Vacant Units

2.85

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 2.9%
Renter 97.1%

$1,418

Median Rent

2006

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 28543 vs 28547 →

ZIP 28543 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 28543 ranks #5 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 28543 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 28543 ranks #5 of 5 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
28547 Camp Lejeune, NC 21,884 4.3 mi
28546 Jacksonville, NC 42,696 4.5 mi
28544 Midway Park, NC 5,368 4.1 mi
28540 Jacksonville, NC 49,252 7.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Onslow County

28540 standard
Jacksonville, NC
Pop: 49,252
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

Related Areas

Onslow County Tarawa Terrace, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28543 in? ▼
ZIP code 28543 (Tarawa Terrace) 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 28543? ▼
ZIP code 28543 in Tarawa Terrace, NC has a population of 4,699 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28543? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28543 is $50,649, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28543? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28543 is White at 58.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 16.3% of the population.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28543? ▼
In ZIP code 28543, 60.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.9% 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 28543? ▼
In ZIP code 28543, approximately 2.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 97.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28543? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28543 is 8.3% 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.