Morehead City, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28557
Carteret County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 14,429
- 393/sq mi High-density area
- $68,528
- Median income Near-median income area
- $362,800
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 41.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Morehead City pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 44th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 25%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 393
- people per sq mi
- 63%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28557 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28557 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Morehead City, Carteret County, North Carolina, home to 14,429 residents across 36.8 square miles, a density of 393 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28557 reports a modest median household income of $68,528 (1% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $48,362. The poverty rate is 11.4%, with unemployment at 2.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $362,800 (40% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 62.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,149.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 41.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.8, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Carteret County, so 28557 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 28557
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Morehead City, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28557.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
156 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
115 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
100 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
83 establishments
- Construction
Construction
81 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 28557, Morehead City, 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
14,429
Population
36.8
Area (sq mi)
393
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28557?
48.8
Median Age
47.8%
Male
52.2%
Female
3.5%
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?
$68,528
Median Household Income
-1% vs state ZIP avg
$48,362
Per Capita Income
11.4%
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Unemployment Rate
20.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28557 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Morehead City, 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)
$68,528 Top 42% higher than 58% 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
9,268housing units
9,268
Total Housing Units
7,714
Occupied Units
1,554
Vacant Units
1.95
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$362,800
Median Home Value
+40% vs state ZIP avg
$1,149
Median Rent
1987
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
-0.9%
YoY Change (2024)
283
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+183%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28557 have decreased 0.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +183% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.3% | 184 |
| 2021 | +13.7% | 210 |
| 2022 | +18.7% | 249 |
| 2023 | +14.7% | 285 |
| 2024 | -0.9% | 283 |
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 889 business establishments in ZIP 28557, employing approximately 10,773 people with a combined annual payroll of $488,437,000.
889
Businesses
10,773
Employees
$488.4M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 156 | 17.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 115 | 12.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 100 | 11.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 83 | 9.3% |
| Construction | 81 | 9.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 80 | 9.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 60 | 6.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 58 | 6.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 36 | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 25 | 2.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 24 | 2.7% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 2.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 20 | 2.3% |
| Information | 15 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 9 | 1.0% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 6 | 0.7% |
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 28557 vs 28512 →
ZIP 28557 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28570
Newport (28570)
21,432 residents
- 28557
Morehead City (28557)
14,429 residents
- 28512 2,896
Atlantic Beach (28512)
2,896 residents
- 28575 316
Salter Path (28575)
316 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28557 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28557 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28512
Atlantic Beach (28512)
$91,488 median income
- 28570
Newport (28570)
$70,229 median income
- 28557
Morehead City (28557)
$68,528 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28557 ranks #3 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 28557, 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 (14,429 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 28557 in?
ZIP code 28557 (Morehead City) 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 28557?
ZIP code 28557 in Morehead City, NC has a population of 14,429 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28557?
The median household income in ZIP 28557 is $68,528, which is 10% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28557?
The median home value in ZIP 28557 is $362,800, which is 30% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28557?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28557 is White at 83.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28557?
ZIP code 28557 has 889 business establishments employing approximately 10,773 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28557?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28557 are: Retail trade (156), Health care and social assistance (115), Accommodation and food services (100). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28557?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28557 decreased by 0.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 183%. 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 28557?
In ZIP code 28557, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 41.6% 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 28557?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28557 is 20.6 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 28557?
In ZIP code 28557, approximately 62.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28557?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28557 is 11.4% 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 28557's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28557 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Morehead City, 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.