ZIP Code 28226: Population, Income, Housing

State: NC

Total population: 39,381 Household income: $118,606 Rent: $1,622

Overview

Total population

39,381

Rent

$1,622

Year built

1986

Household income

$118,606

Per capita income

$77,844

Poverty rate

4.3%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.5 persons

Rent over 30% of income

50.1%

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.

Demographics

State

North Carolina

County

Mecklenburg County

City

Charlotte

Total population

39,381

Adults over 25

27,466

Total households

15,651

Household size

2.5 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

$118,606

Per capita income

$77,844

Poverty rate

4.3%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

50.1%

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).

Housing

Rent

$1,622

Year built

1986

Households that rent

32.4%

Households that own

67.6%

Rooms per home (all homes)

6.7

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).

Race

White

71.2%

Black

8.1%

Asian

3.5%

Two or more races

13.9%

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

13.7%

Not Hispanic or Latino

86.3%

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

13,532 (68.8%)

Commute time to work

25 mins

Work from home

6,137 (31.2%)

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

17%

High school graduate or GED

10.5%

Some college or associate degree

7.4%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

65.1%

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).

Comparison of ZIP Code 28226 with: Mecklenburg County, NC Charlotte, NC Charlotte metro area, NC-SC North Carolina United States

ZIP 28226

Total population39,381

Rent$1,622

Year built1986

Household income$118,606

Per capita income$77,844

Poverty rate4.3%

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	ZIP28226	CountyMecklenburg, NC	CityCharlotte, NC	Metro AreaCharlotte metro area, NC-SC	StateNorth Carolina	CountryUnited States
Total population	39,381	1,154,681	903,844	2,768,407	10,730,404	334,922,499
Rent	$1,622	$1,627	$1,612	$1,473	$1,228	$1,413
Year built	1986	1997	1995	1996	1991	1980
Household income	$118,606	$87,005	$82,068	$83,304	$72,388	$80,734
Per capita income	$77,844	$53,295	$51,814	$46,738	$41,385	$44,673
Poverty rate	4.3%	10.4%	11.7%	10.6%	13%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3.4%	3.4%	3.6%	3.6%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 28226

Rent & Income

In 28226, the typical monthly rent is $1,622 and the typical household income is $118,606. Rent here is similar to Charlotte and higher than North Carolina, and household income is higher than both Charlotte and North Carolina. The estimated poverty rate is 4.3%, which is lower than in both Charlotte and North Carolina.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 32.4% of households. About 50.1% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 65.1% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 28226 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 28226 — Poverty

How ZIP 28226 compares in North Carolina (126 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,622	100 / 126	from lower rent	$733 – $2,025
Household income	$118,606	15 / 126	from higher income	$42,810 – $165,586
Poverty rate	4.3%	6 / 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 28226

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 100th out of 126 ZIP Codes in North Carolina. Across North Carolina, figures vary from $733 in ZIP 28645 up to $2,025 in ZIP 28079.

Household income

When comparing household incomes, ZIP Code 28226 stands 15th out of 126 ZIP Codes. Throughout North Carolina, numbers span from $42,810 in ZIP 27893 up to $165,586 in ZIP 27519.

Poverty rate

Looking at poverty indicators, this ZIP stands 6th out of 126 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from 2.3% in ZIP 27502 up to 34.4% in ZIP 28607.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 28226 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,622 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 28226

Annual Household Income: $118,606

💡 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 28226

Estimated Rate: 4.3%

💡 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 28226

In ZIP Code 28226, households that rent: 5,067 (32.4%)

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

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	5,067	32.4%
Owner-Occupied	10,584	67.6%

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 28226

In ZIP Code 28226, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 2,540 (50.1%)

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

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	2,540	50.1%
Other renter households	2,527	49.9%
Total renter households	5,067	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 28226

Less than High School: 4,663 people (17%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 2,895 people (10.5%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,033 people (7.4%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 17,875 people (65.1%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 27,466

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.