ZIP Code 27253: Population, Income, Housing

State: NC

Total population: 33,114 Household income: $62,774 Rent: $1,041

Overview

Total population

33,114

Rent

$1,041

Year built

1989

Household income

$62,774

Per capita income

$34,137

Poverty rate

12.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.3 persons

Rent over 30% of income

39%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

North Carolina

County

Alamance County

City

Graham

Total population

33,114

Adults over 25

24,018

Total households

14,136

Household size

2.3 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$62,774

Per capita income

$34,137

Poverty rate

12.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

39%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,041

Year built

1989

Households that rent

33.5%

Households that own

66.5%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.4

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

65.3%

Black

16.1%

Asian

0.8%

Two or more races

10%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

15.4%

Not Hispanic or Latino

84.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

14,079 (89%)

Commute time to work

27 mins

Work from home

1,741 (11%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

27.9%

High school graduate or GED

30.7%

Some college or associate degree

14.8%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

26.7%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 27253 with: Alamance County, NC North Carolina United States

ZIP 27253

Total population33,114

Rent$1,041

Year built1989

Household income$62,774

Per capita income$34,137

Poverty rate12.6%

Unemployment rateN/A

Alamance County, NC

Total population176,893

Rent$1,064

Year built1988

Household income$65,651

Per capita income$34,547

Poverty rate13.4%

Unemployment rate3.2%

North Carolina State

Total population10,730,404

Rent$1,228

Year built1991

Household income$72,388

Per capita income$41,385

Poverty rate13%

Unemployment rate3.6%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP27253	CountyAlamance, NC	StateNorth Carolina	CountryUnited States
Total population	33,114	176,893	10,730,404	334,922,499
Rent	$1,041	$1,064	$1,228	$1,413
Year built	1989	1988	1991	1980
Household income	$62,774	$65,651	$72,388	$80,734
Per capita income	$34,137	$34,547	$41,385	$44,673
Poverty rate	12.6%	13.4%	13%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3.2%	3.6%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 27253

Rent & Income

In 27253, the typical monthly rent is $1,041 and the typical household income is $62,774. Rent here is lower than North Carolina, and household income is lower than North Carolina. The estimated poverty rate is 12.6%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 33.5% of households. Around 39% of renters are cost-burdened, indicating a moderate level of rent pressure.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 26.7% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 27253 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 27253 — Poverty

How ZIP 27253 compares in North Carolina (126 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,041	27 / 126	from lower rent	$733 – $2,025
Household income	$62,774	88 / 126	from higher income	$42,810 – $165,586
Poverty rate	12.6%	70 / 126	from lower poverty	2.3% – 34.4%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in North Carolina with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 27253

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 27th out of 126 ZIP Codes in North Carolina. At the state level, values extend from $733 in ZIP 28645 up to $2,025 in ZIP 28079.

Household income

Looking at income levels, ZIP Code 27253 holds the 88th out of 126 ZIP Codes. In North Carolina as a whole, the range goes from $42,810 in ZIP 27893 up to $165,586 in ZIP 27519.

Poverty rate

Regarding poverty rate, ZIP Code 27253 ranks 70th out of 126 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from 2.3% in ZIP 27502 up to 34.4% in ZIP 28607.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 27253 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,041 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 27253

Annual Household Income: $62,774

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 27253

Estimated Rate: 12.6%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 27253

In ZIP Code 27253, households that rent: 4,733 (33.5%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	4,733	33.5%
Owner-Occupied	9,403	66.5%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 27253

In ZIP Code 27253, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 1,846 (39%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	1,846	39%
Other renter households	2,887	61%
Total renter households	4,733	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 27253

Less than High School: 6,698 people (27.9%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 7,363 people (30.7%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,555 people (14.8%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 6,402 people (26.7%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 24,018

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.