Catawba, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28609
Catawba County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,864
- 51/sq mi
- $77,679
- Median income
- $245,900
- Median home value
- 21.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Catawba pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 41%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 43%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 51
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28609 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28609 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 115.2 square miles in Catawba, Catawba County, North Carolina. The area is home to 5,864 residents, producing a population density of 51 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 28609 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28609 sits at $77,679 (12% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $36,666. The poverty rate stands at 9.3% and the unemployment rate at 1.8%. On housing, the median home value is $245,900 (5% below the state average) with median rent at $1,238 per month, and 84.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28609 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 21.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.7, and the average commute is 32 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Catawba County, so you can benchmark 28609 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 28609
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28609.
- Construction
Construction
24 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
18 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
11 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 8
Accommodation and food services
8 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing 7
Transportation and warehousing
7 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28609, Catawba, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
5,864
Population
115.2
Area (sq mi)
51
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28609?
40.7
Median Age
45.6%
Male
54.4%
Female
1.4%
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?
$77,679
Median Household Income
+12% vs state
$36,666
Per Capita Income
9.3%
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Unemployment Rate
32.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28609 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$77,679 Top 41% higher than 59% 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?
3,501
Total Housing Units
2,941
Occupied Units
560
Vacant Units
2.25
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$245,900
Median Home Value
-5% vs state
$1,238
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
+25.0%
YoY Change (2024)
286
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+186%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28609 have increased 25.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +186% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -0.2% | 168 |
| 2021 | +17.0% | 196 |
| 2022 | +24.0% | 243 |
| 2023 | -6.0% | 229 |
| 2024 | +25.0% | 286 |
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 102 business establishments in ZIP 28609, employing approximately 1,105 people with a combined annual payroll of $80,654,000.
102
Businesses
1,105
Employees
$80.7M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 24 | 23.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 18 | 17.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 11 | 10.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 8 | 7.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 6.9% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 5.9% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 4.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 4.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 4.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 3.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 3.9% |
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 28609 vs 28673 →
ZIP 28609 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28677
Statesville (28677)
32,940 residents
- 28650 11,883
Maiden (28650)
11,883 residents
- 28610 9,913
Claremont (28610)
9,913 residents
- 28673 5,919
Sherrills Ford (28673)
5,919 residents
- 28609 5,864
Catawba (28609)
5,864 residents
- 28682 1,129
Terrell (28682)
1,129 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28609 ranks #5 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28609 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28682
Terrell (28682)
$129,390 median income
- 28673
Sherrills Ford (28673)
$99,688 median income
- 28609
Catawba (28609)
$77,679 median income
- 28650
Maiden (28650)
$74,922 median income
- 28610
Claremont (28610)
$65,722 median income
- 28677
Statesville (28677)
$62,406 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28609 ranks #3 of 6 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Catawba County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28609 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28609? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28609? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28609? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28609? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28609? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28609? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28609? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28609? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28609? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28609? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28609? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Catawba, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.