ZIP Code 28212: Population, Income, Housing

State: NC
Total population: 42,440 Household income: $52,723 Rent: $1,362

Overview

Total population
42,440
Rent
$1,362
Year built
1981
Household income
$52,723
Per capita income
$26,936
Poverty rate
16.4%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.7 persons
Rent over 30% of income
61%

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
Mecklenburg County
City
Charlotte
Total population
42,440
Adults over 25
26,247
Total households
15,649
Household size
2.7 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).

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.

Income & Poverty

Household income
$52,723
Per capita income
$26,936
Poverty rate
16.4%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
61%

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.

Housing

Rent
$1,362
Year built
1981
Households that rent
62%
Households that own
38%
Rooms per home (all homes)
4.5

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.

Race

White
21%
Black
35.8%
Asian
8.2%
Two or more races
12.5%

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.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
36%
Not Hispanic or Latino
64%

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.

Commute

Commute rate
16,782 (83.2%)
Commute time to work
30 mins
Work from home
3,387 (16.8%)

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.

Education

Less than high school
38.9%
High school graduate or GED
26.2%
Some college or associate degree
11.8%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
23.1%

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.

 

Comparison of ZIP Code 28212 with: Mecklenburg County, NC Charlotte, NC Charlotte metro area, NC-SC North Carolina United States

ZIP 28212

Total population42,440
Rent$1,362
Year built1981
Household income$52,723
Per capita income$26,936
Poverty rate16.4%
Unemployment rateN/A

Mecklenburg County, NC

Total population1,154,681
Rent$1,627
Year built1997
Household income$87,005
Per capita income$53,295
Poverty rate10.4%
Unemployment rate3.4%

Charlotte, NC

Total population903,844
Rent$1,612
Year built1995
Household income$82,068
Per capita income$51,814
Poverty rate11.7%
Unemployment rate3.4%

Charlotte Metro Area, NC-SC

Total population2,768,407
Rent$1,473
Year built1996
Household income$83,304
Per capita income$46,738
Poverty rate10.6%
Unemployment rate3.6%

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 ZIP28212 CountyMecklenburg, NCCityCharlotte, NCMetro AreaCharlotte metro area, NC-SCStateNorth CarolinaCountryUnited States
Total population42,4401,154,681903,8442,768,40710,730,404334,922,499
Rent$1,362$1,627$1,612$1,473$1,228$1,413
Year built198119971995199619911980
Household income$52,723$87,005$82,068$83,304$72,388$80,734
Per capita income$26,936$53,295$51,814$46,738$41,385$44,673
Poverty rate16.4%10.4%11.7%10.6%13%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A3.4%3.4%3.6%3.6%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

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Summary for 28212

Rent & Income

In 28212, the typical monthly rent is $1,362 and the typical household income is $52,723. Rent here is lower than Charlotte and higher than North Carolina, and household income is lower than both Charlotte and North Carolina. The estimated poverty rate is 16.4%, which is higher than in both Charlotte and North Carolina.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 62% of households, making this a predominantly renter area. About 61% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 23.1% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

ZIP 28212 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 28212 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 28212 compares in North Carolina (126 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $1,362 64 / 126 from lower rent $733 – $2,025
Household income $52,723 116 / 126 from higher income $42,810 – $165,586
Poverty rate 16.4% 95 / 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 28212

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 28212 places 64th out of 126 ZIP Codes in North Carolina. Throughout North Carolina, numbers span from $733 in ZIP 28645 up to $2,025 in ZIP 28079.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 116th out of 126 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $42,810 in ZIP 27893 up to $165,586 in ZIP 27519.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 28212 comes 95th out of 126 ZIP Codes. In North Carolina as a whole, the range goes from 2.3% in ZIP 27502 up to 34.4% in ZIP 28607.

 

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 28212 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,362 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 28212

Annual Household Income: $52,723

💡 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 28212

Estimated Rate: 16.4%

💡 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 28212

In ZIP Code 28212, households that rent: 9,697 (62%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 9,697 62%
Owner-Occupied 5,952 38%

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 28212

In ZIP Code 28212, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 5,916 (61%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 5,916 61%
Other renter households 3,781 39%
Total renter households 9,697 100%

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 28212

Less than High School: 10,214 people (38.9%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 6,872 people (26.2%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,110 people (11.8%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 6,051 people (23.1%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 26,247

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.