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 Moderate-density area
- $77,679
- Median income Near-median income area
- $245,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28609 (Catawba, NC) rose +25.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 228.7 in 2023 to 285.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28609 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Catawba, Catawba County, North Carolina, home to 5,864 residents across 115.2 square miles, a density of 51 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28609 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $77,679 (12% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,666. The poverty rate is 9.3%, with unemployment at 1.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $245,900 (5% below the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $1,238; 84.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.7, and the average commute is 32 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Catawba County, so 28609 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 28609
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Catawba, NC
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$36,666
Per Capita Income
9.3%
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Unemployment Rate
32.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28609 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Catawba, 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)
$77,679 Top 26% higher than 74% 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
3,501housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28609, 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 (5,864 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 28609 in?
ZIP code 28609 (Catawba) 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 28609?
ZIP code 28609 in Catawba, NC has a population of 5,864 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28609?
The median household income in ZIP 28609 is $77,679, which is 2% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28609?
The median home value in ZIP 28609 is $245,900, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28609?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28609 is White at 80.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28609?
ZIP code 28609 has 102 business establishments employing approximately 1,105 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28609?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28609 are: Construction (24), Other services (except public administration) (18), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (11). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28609?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28609 increased by 25.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 186%. 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 28609?
In ZIP code 28609, 53.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.0% 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 28609?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28609 is 32.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28609?
In ZIP code 28609, approximately 84.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28609?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28609 is 9.3% 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 28609's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28609 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Catawba, 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.