Taylorsville, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28681
Alexander County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 25,910
- 60/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $60,977
- Median income Below-median income area
- $209,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 15.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Taylorsville pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 31st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 46th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 60
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28681 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 28681 (Taylorsville, NC) rose +6.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 211.6 in 2023 to 226.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28681 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Taylorsville, Alexander County, North Carolina, with 25,910 residents across 433.3 square miles, a density of 60 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28681 reports a modest median household income of $60,977 (12% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,192. The poverty rate is 12.2%, with unemployment at 5.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $209,000 (19% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $736; owner occupancy is 79.4%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.9, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 more in Alexander County, so 28681 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 28681
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Taylorsville, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28681.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
71 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
57 establishments
- Construction
Construction
49 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
47 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
46 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 28681, Taylorsville, 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
25,910
Population
433.3
Area (sq mi)
60
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28681?
43.9
Median Age
50.8%
Male
49.2%
Female
2.6%
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?
$60,977
Median Household Income
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$31,192
Per Capita Income
12.2%
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Unemployment Rate
24.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28681 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Taylorsville, 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)
$60,977 41st percentile higher than 41% 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
11,538housing units
11,538
Total Housing Units
9,768
Occupied Units
1,770
Vacant Units
2.46
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$209,000
Median Home Value
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$736
Median Rent
1984
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
+6.8%
YoY Change (2024)
226
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+126%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28681 have increased 6.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +126% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.8% | 146 |
| 2021 | +13.9% | 166 |
| 2022 | +18.7% | 197 |
| 2023 | +7.4% | 212 |
| 2024 | +6.8% | 226 |
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 429 business establishments in ZIP 28681, employing approximately 6,075 people with a combined annual payroll of $226,673,000.
429
Businesses
6,075
Employees
$226.7M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 71 | 16.6% |
| Retail trade | 57 | 13.3% |
| Construction | 49 | 11.4% |
| Manufacturing | 47 | 11.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 46 | 10.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 29 | 6.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 25 | 5.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 23 | 5.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 21 | 4.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 18 | 4.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 15 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 13 | 3.0% |
| Information | 5 | 1.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.2% |
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 28681 vs 28654 →
ZIP 28681 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28601
Hickory (28601)
50,026 residents
- 28681
Taylorsville (28681)
25,910 residents
- 28654 3,495
Moravian Falls (28654)
3,495 residents
- 28606 2,158
Boomer (28606)
2,158 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28681 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28681 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28601
Hickory (28601)
$67,817 median income
- 28681
Taylorsville (28681)
$60,977 median income
- 28654
Moravian Falls (28654)
$57,438 median income
- 28606
Boomer (28606)
$56,600 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28681 ranks #2 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 28681, 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 (25,910 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 28681 in?
ZIP code 28681 (Taylorsville) 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 28681?
ZIP code 28681 in Taylorsville, NC has a population of 25,910 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28681?
The median household income in ZIP 28681 is $60,977, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28681?
The median home value in ZIP 28681 is $209,000, which is 25% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28681?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28681 is White at 87.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28681?
ZIP code 28681 has 429 business establishments employing approximately 6,075 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28681?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28681 are: Other services (except public administration) (71), Retail trade (57), Construction (49). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28681?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28681 increased by 6.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 126%. 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 28681?
In ZIP code 28681, 52.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.2% 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 28681?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28681 is 24.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28681?
In ZIP code 28681, approximately 79.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28681?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28681 is 12.2% 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 28681's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28681 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Taylorsville, 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.