PlainZIP

Lenoir, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28645

Caldwell County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

47,703
56/sq mi
$51,650
Median income
$175,500
Median home value
17.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lenoir pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

16th pct
household income, US ZIPs
37th pct
home value, US ZIPs
56
people per sq mi
71%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28645 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28645 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lenoir, Caldwell County, North Carolina, with 47,703 residents across 854.9 square miles, a density of 56 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28645 reports a modest median household income of $51,650 (25% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $28,994. 14.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.4%. On housing, the median home value is $175,500 (32% below the state average) with median rent at $733 per month, and 70.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.4, and the average commute is 28 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Caldwell County, so you can benchmark 28645 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 28645

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lenoir, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28645.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 28645, Lenoir, 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

47,703

Population

854.9

Area (sq mi)

56

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 28645?

46.4

Median Age

48.9%

Male

51.1%

Female

4.0%

Foreign-Born

White 82.5%
African American 5.7%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%

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?

$51,650

Median Household Income

-25% vs state

$28,994

Per Capita Income

14.3%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

27.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28645 ranks nationally

Lenoir, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$51,650 16th percentile higher than 16% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 52.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

21,674

Total Housing Units

19,175

Occupied Units

2,499

Vacant Units

2.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 70.9%
Renter 29.1%

$175,500

Median Home Value

-32% vs state

$733

Median Rent

1977

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

+5.2%

YoY Change (2024)

222

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+122%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28645 have increased 5.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +122% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.2% 141
2021 +11.3% 157
2022 +20.8% 189
2023 +11.7% 211
2024 +5.2% 222

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 848 business establishments in ZIP 28645, employing approximately 13,912 people with a combined annual payroll of $684,006,000.

848

Businesses

13,912

Employees

$684.0M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 144 17.0%
Other services (except public administration) 114 13.4%
Health care and social assistance 95 11.2%
Accommodation and food services 94 11.1%
Construction 70 8.3%
Manufacturing 55 6.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 52 6.1%
Finance and insurance 49 5.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 43 5.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 33 3.9%
Wholesale trade 30 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 25 3.0%
Information 18 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.7%
Educational services 4 0.5%

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 28645 vs 28638 →

ZIP 28645 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28645 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28645 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28645 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
28638 Hudson, NC 12,302 9.9 mi
28624 Ferguson, NC 1,639 12.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Caldwell County

28630 standard
Granite Falls, NC
Pop: 20,041
28638 standard
Hudson, NC
Pop: 12,302
28611 standard
Collettsville, NC
Pop: 885
28667 standard
Rhodhiss, NC
Pop: 559

Related Areas

Caldwell County Lenoir, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28645 in? ▼
ZIP code 28645 (Lenoir) is located in Caldwell County, North Carolina. Caldwell County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/caldwell-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28645? ▼
ZIP code 28645 in Lenoir, NC has a population of 47,703 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28645? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28645 is $51,650, which is 32% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28645? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28645 is $175,500, which is 37% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28645? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28645 is White at 82.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28645? ▼
ZIP code 28645 has 848 business establishments employing approximately 13,912 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28645? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28645 are: Retail trade (144), Other services (except public administration) (114), Health care and social assistance (95). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28645? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28645 increased by 5.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 122%. 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 28645? ▼
In ZIP code 28645, 52.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.7% 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 28645? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28645 is 27.5 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 28645? ▼
In ZIP code 28645, approximately 70.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28645? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28645 is 14.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.