Hiddenite, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28636
Alexander County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,522
- 36/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $65,435
- Median income Near-median income area
- $225,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 8.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Hiddenite pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 39th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 49%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 36
- people per sq mi
- 80%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28636 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28636 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hiddenite, Alexander County, North Carolina, home to 5,522 residents across 154.2 square miles, a density of 36 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28636 reports a modest median household income of $65,435 (5% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,714. The poverty rate is 11.5%, with unemployment at 5.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $225,100 (13% below the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $761; 79.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 8.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.8, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 more in Alexander County, so 28636 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 28636
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hiddenite, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28636.
- Construction
Construction
12 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
9 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
6 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
5 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 28636, Hiddenite, 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
5,522
Population
154.2
Area (sq mi)
36
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28636?
43.8
Median Age
51.5%
Male
48.5%
Female
2.5%
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?
$65,435
Median Household Income
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$31,714
Per Capita Income
11.5%
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Unemployment Rate
28.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28636 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Hiddenite, 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)
$65,435 Top 49% higher than 51% 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
1,958housing units
1,958
Total Housing Units
1,860
Occupied Units
98
Vacant Units
2.41
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$225,100
Median Home Value
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$761
Median Rent
1985
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 61 business establishments in ZIP 28636, employing approximately 1,079 people with a combined annual payroll of $43,546,000.
61
Businesses
1,079
Employees
$43.5M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 12 | 19.7% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 14.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 13.1% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 9.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 8.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 6.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 6.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 6.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 4.9% |
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 28636 vs 28678 →
ZIP 28636 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28636
Hiddenite (28636)
5,522 residents
- 28678
Stony Point (28678)
5,226 residents
- 28654
Moravian Falls (28654)
3,495 residents
- 28689 1,712
Union Grove (28689)
1,712 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28636 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28636 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28678
Stony Point (28678)
$74,845 median income
- 28689
Union Grove (28689)
$70,565 median income
- 28636
Hiddenite (28636)
$65,435 median income
- 28654
Moravian Falls (28654)
$57,438 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28636 ranks #3 of 4 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 28636, 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 (5,522 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Alexander County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28636 in?
ZIP code 28636 (Hiddenite) is located in Alexander County, North Carolina. Alexander County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/alexander-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28636?
ZIP code 28636 in Hiddenite, NC has a population of 5,522 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28636?
The median household income in ZIP 28636 is $65,435, which is 14% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28636?
The median home value in ZIP 28636 is $225,100, which is 19% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28636?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28636 is White at 88.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28636?
ZIP code 28636 has 61 business establishments employing approximately 1,079 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28636?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28636 are: Construction (12), Manufacturing (9), Other services (except public administration) (8). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28636?
In ZIP code 28636, 52.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 8.3% 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 28636?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28636 is 28.1 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 28636?
In ZIP code 28636, approximately 79.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28636?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28636 is 11.5% 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 28636's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28636 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Hiddenite, 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.