Residential delivery area · North Carolina
ZIP Code 28602: Hickory, NC
ZIP code 28602 uses the postal name Hickory, North Carolina and lies mostly in Catawba County (81% of its land) with the rest in Burke County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 31,000 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024), the less populous of Hickory's 2 residential ZIP codes. Median household income is $62,048 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, its land lies in Hickory (15%), Mountain View (7%), Long View (4%) and Brookford (under 1%), and under 1% in smaller places; 73% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Hickory · 2 residential ZIPs
- County
- Catawba County (81%); Burke County (19%)
- Census places
- Hickory (15%); Mountain View (7%) census-designated place; Long View (4%); Brookford (under 1%)
- Metro area
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
- House districts
- NC-10 (81%), NC-14 (19%) 119th Congress, by share of land
- State
- North Carolina
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 70.7 sq mi · 440 people per sq mi
- PO Box ZIPs
- 28603 also use the name Hickory
Where is ZIP code 28602?
28602 centers on 35.674°, -81.383° and covers 70.7 square miles of land plus 0.5 of water. It borders 7 ZIP codes: 28637, 28666, 28601, 28658, 28168, 28612, 28613.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 28602, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 28602 compare with the rest of Hickory?
| Measure | 28602 | In Hickory | In Catawba County | In NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 31,113 | 2nd of 2 | 3rd of 14 | 118th of 853 |
| Median household income | $62k | 2nd of 2 | 6th of 11 | 326th of 528 |
| Median home value | $213k | 2nd of 2 | 10th of 14 | 355th of 572 |
Its median household income is higher than in 33% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 71% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 28602?
The 2020 Census counted 29,184 people in 28602; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 31,113. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 0.7% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 31,113
- 2020 Census count
- 29,184+0.7% since 2010 (28,981)
- Households
- 12,005
- Median age
- 40.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 28602?
Of the 31,113 people the ACS estimates in 28602, 23.1% are under 18 and 16.9% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (66.5%), then Black (not Hispanic) (13.2%).
- Under 1823.1%
- 18 to 6459.9%
- 65 and older16.9%
- White, not Hispanic66.5%
- Black, not Hispanic13.2%
- Hispanic or Latino11.6%
- Asian, not Hispanic5.3%
- Other or two or more3.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 28602 earn?
Median household income is $62,048 (ACS 2020-2024), the 6th highest of the 11 ranked ZIP codes in Catawba County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($56,505 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $62,048±$7,330
- Income per person
- $32,255
- Below the poverty line
- 16.8%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 3.3%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 20.3%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $58,93413,010 returns; wages 76% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 28602?
FHFA's house price index for 28602, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 124% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 70% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +1.8% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $212,900
- Median gross rent
- $896
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 62.9%
- Housing units
- 13,371
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 28602?
1,283 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 33 more than in 2018; the most are in retail trade (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Retail trade265
- Other services (except public administration)148
- Accommodation and food services144
- Health care and social assistance141
- Manufacturing98
- Wholesale trade88
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 28602?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28637 | Hildebran | 1,911 | $68k | 3.7 mi |
| 28666 | Icard | 273 | – | 5.8 mi |
| 28601 | Hickory | 53,329 | $68k | 7.5 mi |
| 28658 | Newton | 26,336 | $72k | 8.6 mi |
| 28168 | Vale | 10,484 | $61k | 8.7 mi |
| 28612 | Connelly Springs | 11,290 | $55k | 8.8 mi |
| 28613 | Conover | 23,357 | $59k | 10.8 mi |
| 28667 | Rhodhiss | 301 | $26k | 7.4 mi (near) |
| 28671 | Rutherford College | 375 | $74k | 9.7 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.