Hickory, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28601
Catawba County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 50,026
- 420/sq mi High-density area
- $67,817
- Median income Near-median income area
- $261,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 36.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Hickory pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated and unusually populous area.
- 43rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 40%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 420
- people per sq mi
- 68%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28601 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28601 (Hickory, NC) rose +8.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 194.8 in 2023 to 210.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28601 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hickory, Catawba County, North Carolina, with 50,026 residents across 119.2 square miles, a density of 420 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28601 reports a modest median household income of $67,817 (2% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,441. The poverty rate is 12.4%, with unemployment at 3.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $261,600 (1% above the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $1,029; 68.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.2, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Catawba County, so 28601 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 28601
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hickory, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28601.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
207 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
151 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
140 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
129 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
117 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 28601, Hickory, 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
50,026
Population
119.2
Area (sq mi)
420
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28601?
41.2
Median Age
48.6%
Male
51.4%
Female
8.3%
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?
$67,817
Median Household Income
-2% vs state ZIP avg
$40,441
Per Capita Income
12.4%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
22.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28601 ranks nationally
Hickory, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$67,817 43rd percentile higher than 43% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
23,838housing units
23,838
Total Housing Units
21,727
Occupied Units
2,111
Vacant Units
2.39
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$261,600
Median Home Value
+1% vs state ZIP avg
$1,029
Median Rent
1981
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
+8.3%
YoY Change (2024)
211
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+111%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28601 have increased 8.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +111% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.6% | 135 |
| 2021 | +13.4% | 153 |
| 2022 | +19.1% | 182 |
| 2023 | +7.0% | 195 |
| 2024 | +8.3% | 211 |
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 1,368 business establishments in ZIP 28601, employing approximately 24,272 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,247,412,000.
1,368
Businesses
24,272
Employees
$1.2B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 207 | 15.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 151 | 11.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 140 | 10.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 129 | 9.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 117 | 8.6% |
| Construction | 116 | 8.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 99 | 7.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 78 | 5.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 74 | 5.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 73 | 5.3% |
| Manufacturing | 67 | 4.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 34 | 2.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 29 | 2.1% |
| Information | 21 | 1.5% |
| Educational services | 14 | 1.0% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 11 | 0.8% |
| Utilities | 7 | 0.5% |
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 28601 vs 28667 →
ZIP 28601 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28601
Hickory (28601)
50,026 residents
- 28602
Hickory (28602)
28,981 residents
- 28658
Newton (28658)
27,022 residents
- 28681
Taylorsville (28681)
25,910 residents
- 28613
Conover (28613)
22,759 residents
- 28630
Granite Falls (28630)
20,041 residents
- 28637 1,746
Hildebran (28637)
1,746 residents
- 28667 559
Rhodhiss (28667)
559 residents
- 28666 368
Icard (28666)
368 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28601 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28601 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28658
Newton (28658)
$72,042 median income
- 28601
Hickory (28601)
$67,817 median income
- 28637
Hildebran (28637)
$67,500 median income
- 28630
Granite Falls (28630)
$63,835 median income
- 28602
Hickory (28602)
$62,048 median income
- 28681
Taylorsville (28681)
$60,977 median income
- 28613
Conover (28613)
$58,707 median income
- 28667 $26,354
Rhodhiss (28667)
$26,354 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28601 ranks #2 of 8 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 28601, 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 (50,026 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Catawba County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28601 in?
ZIP code 28601 (Hickory) is located in Catawba County, North Carolina. Catawba County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/catawba-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28601?
ZIP code 28601 in Hickory, NC has a population of 50,026 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28601?
The median household income in ZIP 28601 is $67,817, which is 11% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28601?
The median home value in ZIP 28601 is $261,600, which is 6% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28601?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28601 is White at 77.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28601?
ZIP code 28601 has 1,368 business establishments employing approximately 24,272 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28601?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28601 are: Retail trade (207), Health care and social assistance (151), Professional, scientific, and technical services (140). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28601?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28601 increased by 8.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 111%. 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 28601?
In ZIP code 28601, 58.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.1% 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 28601?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28601 is 22.4 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 28601?
In ZIP code 28601, approximately 68.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28601?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28601 is 12.4% 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 28601's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28601 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Hickory, 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.