Hickory, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28602
Catawba County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 28,981
- 161/sq mi High-density area
- $62,048
- Median income Below-median income area
- $212,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 20.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Hickory pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 33rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 47th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 161
- people per sq mi
- 63%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28602 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 28602 (Hickory, NC) rose +6.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 223.3 in 2023 to 237.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28602 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hickory, Catawba County, North Carolina, with 28,981 residents across 180.5 square miles, a density of 161 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28602 reports a modest median household income of $62,048 (10% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,255. The poverty rate is 16.8%, with unemployment at 3.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $212,900 (18% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $896; owner occupancy is 62.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.1, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Catawba County, so 28602 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 28602
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hickory, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28602.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
265 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
148 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
144 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
141 establishments
- Manufacturing 98
Manufacturing
98 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 28602, 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
28,981
Population
180.5
Area (sq mi)
161
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28602?
40.1
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
6.4%
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?
$62,048
Median Household Income
-10% vs state ZIP avg
$32,255
Per Capita Income
16.8%
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Unemployment Rate
21.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28602 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Hickory, 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)
$62,048 43rd percentile higher than 43% 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
13,371housing units
13,371
Total Housing Units
12,005
Occupied Units
1,366
Vacant Units
2.56
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$212,900
Median Home Value
-18% vs state ZIP avg
$896
Median Rent
1982
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
+6.4%
YoY Change (2024)
238
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+138%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28602 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +138% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.3% | 143 |
| 2021 | +13.1% | 161 |
| 2022 | +19.2% | 192 |
| 2023 | +16.2% | 223 |
| 2024 | +6.4% | 238 |
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 1,283 business establishments in ZIP 28602, employing approximately 26,067 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,380,882,000.
1,283
Businesses
26,067
Employees
$1.4B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 265 | 20.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 148 | 11.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 144 | 11.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 141 | 11.0% |
| Manufacturing | 98 | 7.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 88 | 6.9% |
| Construction | 84 | 6.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 70 | 5.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 65 | 5.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 64 | 5.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 55 | 4.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 26 | 2.0% |
| Information | 11 | 0.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 10 | 0.8% |
| Educational services | 6 | 0.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 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 28602 vs 28637 →
ZIP 28602 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
- 28630
Granite Falls (28630)
20,041 residents
- 28168 10,230
Vale (28168)
10,230 residents
- 28637 1,746
Hildebran (28637)
1,746 residents
- 28671 597
Rutherford College (28671)
597 residents
- 28667 559
Rhodhiss (28667)
559 residents
- 28666 368
Icard (28666)
368 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28602 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28602 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28671
Rutherford College (28671)
$73,929 median income
- 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
- 28168
Vale (28168)
$61,220 median income
- 28667 $26,354
Rhodhiss (28667)
$26,354 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28602 ranks #6 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 28602, 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 (28,981 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 28602 in?
ZIP code 28602 (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 28602?
ZIP code 28602 in Hickory, NC has a population of 28,981 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28602?
The median household income in ZIP 28602 is $62,048, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28602?
The median home value in ZIP 28602 is $212,900, which is 23% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28602?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28602 is White at 68.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28602?
ZIP code 28602 has 1,283 business establishments employing approximately 26,067 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28602?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28602 are: Retail trade (265), Other services (except public administration) (148), Accommodation and food services (144). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28602?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28602 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 138%. 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 28602?
In ZIP code 28602, 51.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.3% 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 28602?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28602 is 21.3 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 28602?
In ZIP code 28602, approximately 62.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28602?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28602 is 16.8% 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 28602's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28602 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
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.