ZIP Code 28403: Population, Income, Housing

State: NC

Total population: 40,319 Household income: $54,547 Rent: $1,380

Overview

Total population

40,319

Rent

$1,380

Year built

1989

Household income

$54,547

Per capita income

$41,022

Poverty rate

24.8%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.0 persons

Rent over 30% of income

56.4%

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).

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

New Hanover County

City

Wilmington

Total population

40,319

Adults over 25

23,371

Total households

18,577

Household size

2.0 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

$54,547

Per capita income

$41,022

Poverty rate

24.8%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

56.4%

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).

Housing

Rent

$1,380

Year built

1989

Households that rent

64.3%

Households that own

35.7%

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).

Race

White

77.4%

Black

12.2%

Asian

1.8%

Two or more races

6.2%

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).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

Not Hispanic or Latino

92%

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

18,956 (84.9%)

Commute time to work

18 mins

Work from home

3,371 (15.1%)

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).

Education

Less than high school

21.9%

High school graduate or GED

18.2%

Some college or associate degree

11.8%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

48.1%

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 28403 with: New Hanover County, NC Wilmington, NC Wilmington metro area, NC North Carolina United States

ZIP 28403

Total population40,319

Rent$1,380

Year built1989

Household income$54,547

Per capita income$41,022

Poverty rate24.8%

Unemployment rateN/A

New Hanover County, NC

Total population235,229

Rent$1,417

Year built1993

Household income$75,166

Per capita income$48,592

Poverty rate12.3%

Unemployment rate3%

Wilmington, NC

Total population120,805

Rent$1,395

Year built1989

Household income$66,738

Per capita income$49,405

Poverty rate16%

Unemployment rate3.2%

Wilmington Metro Area, NC

Total population453,347

Rent$1,389

Year built1998

Household income$76,471

Per capita income$46,500

Poverty rate10.9%

Unemployment rate3.5%

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	ZIP28403	CountyNew Hanover, NC	CityWilmington, NC	Metro AreaWilmington metro area, NC	StateNorth Carolina	CountryUnited States
Total population	40,319	235,229	120,805	453,347	10,730,404	334,922,499
Rent	$1,380	$1,417	$1,395	$1,389	$1,228	$1,413
Year built	1989	1993	1989	1998	1991	1980
Household income	$54,547	$75,166	$66,738	$76,471	$72,388	$80,734
Per capita income	$41,022	$48,592	$49,405	$46,500	$41,385	$44,673
Poverty rate	24.8%	12.3%	16%	10.9%	13%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3%	3.2%	3.5%	3.6%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 28403

Rent & Income

In 28403, the typical monthly rent is $1,380 and the typical household income is $54,547. Rent here is similar to Wilmington and higher than North Carolina, and household income is lower than both Wilmington and North Carolina. The estimated poverty rate is 24.8%, which is higher than in both Wilmington and North Carolina.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 64.3% of households, making this a predominantly renter area. About 56.4% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 48.1% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 28403 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 28403 — Poverty

How ZIP 28403 compares in North Carolina (126 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,380	66 / 126	from lower rent	$733 – $2,025
Household income	$54,547	114 / 126	from higher income	$42,810 – $165,586
Poverty rate	24.8%	122 / 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 28403

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 66th 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 28403 holds the 114th 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 28403 ranks 122nd 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 28403 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,380 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 28403

Annual Household Income: $54,547

💡 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 28403

Estimated Rate: 24.8%

💡 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 28403

In ZIP Code 28403, households that rent: 11,943 (64.3%)

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

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	11,943	64.3%
Owner-Occupied	6,634	35.7%

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 28403

In ZIP Code 28403, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 6,741 (56.4%)

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

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	6,741	56.4%
Other renter households	5,202	43.6%
Total renter households	11,943	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 28403

Less than High School: 5,114 people (21.9%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 4,259 people (18.2%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,768 people (11.8%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 11,230 people (48.1%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 23,371

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.