28526 ZIP Code — Dover, NC

Craven County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28526 is located in Dover, North Carolina, within Craven County. It covers approximately 95.76 square miles and serves a population of 2,584 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 252.

About ZIP code 28526

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $105,700. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 74%.

Median household income is $37,269. Poverty affects 19% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 22% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 58% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is service, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 33 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 22% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (16%), smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 30%.

Overall, ZIP code 28526 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,584

population

95.76

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28526 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28526

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28526. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Dover	Acceptable
Dover	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28501 Kinston (6.3 mi) 28523 Cove City (6.8 mi) 28530 Grifton (8.7 mi) 28586 Vanceboro (12.1 mi) 28513 Ayden (12.3 mi) 28585 Trenton (13.5 mi) 28538 Hookerton (14.4 mi) 28504 Kinston (15.1 mi) 28590 Winterville (18.2 mi) 28573 Pollocksville (18.5 mi) 27858 Greenville (19 mi) 28525 Deep Run (19.4 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,584
Population density	27 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	049

Geography
Land area	95.76 sq mi
Water area	0.13 sq mi
Latitude	35.2609
Longitude	-77.3873
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	252

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	63.0%	46.5%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	32.9%	32.4%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	4.1%	17.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.9%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

2,584

Population

People per sq mi

46.6

Median age

$37,269

Median household income

$21,234

Per capita income

$105,700

Median home value

$846

Median monthly rent

73.7%

Home ownership

19.0%

Poverty rate

6.9%

Unemployment

976

Housing units

22.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

102

Under 5

113

5–9

101

10–14

15–19

105

20–24

107

25–34

118

35–44

100

126

45–54

139

55–59

197

60–64

218

65–74

103

75–84

115

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	709	27.4%
18 and over	1,875	72.6%
65 and over	536	20.7%
Median age	46.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 57.8%

Black or African American 38.9%

Hispanic or Latino 1.2%

Other race 1.2%

Two or more races 0.9%

Group	Count	%
White	1,511	57.8%
Black or African American	1,018	38.9%
Hispanic or Latino	31	1.2%
Other race	31	1.2%
Two or more races	24	0.9%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	63.0%	46.5%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	32.9%	32.4%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	4.1%	17.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.9%	6.0%

Under $10k 3.6%

$10k–$15k 11.9%

$15k–$25k 13.9%

$25k–$35k 3.6%

$35k–$50k 26.6%

$50k–$75k 25.2%

$75k–$100k 7.8%

$100k–$150k 5.3%

$150k–$200k 1.6%

$200k+ 0.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	3.6%
$10k–$15k	11.9%
$15k–$25k	13.9%
$25k–$35k	3.6%
$35k–$50k	26.6%
$50k–$75k	25.2%
$75k–$100k	7.8%
$100k–$150k	5.3%
$150k–$200k	1.6%
$200k+	0.7%
Median income	$37,269

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 33.0%

$50k–$100k 13.7%

$100k–$150k 18.8%

$150k–$200k 0.9%

$200k–$300k 33.0%

$500k–$1M 0.6%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$105,700
Median rent / month	$846
Owner occupied	73.7%
Renter occupied	26.3%
Vacant	15.5%
Single-family detached	64.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	35.9%
Median rooms	5.3
Avg household size (owned)	2.23

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	1.4%
2000–2009	21.4%
1990–1999	32.4%
1980–1989	9.2%
1970–1979	19.4%
1960–1969	7.9%
1950–1959	3.9%
1940–1949	0.6%
1939 or earlier	3.7%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	2.0%
2 bedrooms	31.2%
3 bedrooms	51.0%
4 bedrooms	12.4%
5+ bedrooms	3.4%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	8.9%
1 vehicle	27.2%
2 vehicles	20.6%
3 or more	43.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	1.4%
Electricity	54.0%
Propane / LP gas	36.8%
Fuel oil	0.7%
Wood	7.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	388	36.6%
Cohabiting couple	20	1.9%
Male householder, no spouse	175	16.5%
Female householder, no spouse	478	45.1%
Households with children under 18	282	26.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	472	44.5%
Average household size	2.44

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	24.8%	15.3%
Married	49.8%	39.9%
Separated	3.9%	3.0%
Widowed	3.2%	21.6%
Divorced	18.2%	20.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.6%

Some HS, no diploma 11.4%

HS graduate 25.9%

Some college, no degree 21.9%

Associate's degree 16.1%

Bachelor's degree 20.3%

Graduate / professional 1.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	86.0%
Bachelor's or higher	22.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	125	16.1%
Kindergarten	11	1.4%
Elementary school	316	40.6%
High school	181	23.3%
College / grad school	145	18.6%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 33.9%

Retail trade 12.6%

Construction 12.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 10.6%

Manufacturing 7.4%

Transportation & utilities 7.4%

Public administration 6.0%

Professional & management 3.9%

Agriculture & mining 3.4%

Other services 1.3%

Information 1.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	21.9%
Service	30.9%
Sales & office	16.5%
Natural resources & construction	13.0%
Production & transportation	17.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	78.0%
Government	18.4%
Self-employed	3.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	80.6%
Carpool	2.6%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	15.6%
Other means	1.2%
Avg commute (minutes)	32.8

Poverty

All people 19.0%

Under 18 years 12.6%

18 and over 21.4%

Married-couple families 8.0%

Female-led households 56.1%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	57.9%
Retirement income	32.4%
Supplemental Security	4.9%
Cash public assistance	12.2%
Food stamps / SNAP	22.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	38.9%
High blood pressure	42.9%
High cholesterol	37.2%
Diabetes	15.7%
Heart disease	8.6%
Stroke	4.9%
Asthma	10.4%
Arthritis	30.8%
Kidney disease	4.1%
Pulmonary disease	9.3%
Cancer	7.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	22.2%
Binge drinking	13.4%
No physical activity	27.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	36.5%
Depression	23.1%
Fair or poor health	20.1%
Poor mental health	15.0%
Poor physical health	13.7%
No health insurance	21.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	81.3%
Visited dentist	56.6%
Cholesterol screening	90.3%
Teeth loss	20.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	175	9.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	29.7%
Under 18	0.1%
18–64 years	30.6%
65 and over	66.6%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	44.9%
Public insurance	58.9%
No insurance	12.7%
Uninsured under 19	0.4%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,369	91.7%
Spanish	9	0.4%
Other Indo-European	9	0.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,575	99.7%
Born in same state	2,575	99.7%
Born in different state	2,143	82.9%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	9	0.3%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	356	13.8%
French	249	9.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	146	5.7%
English	6	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	41.1%
Internet access	72.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28526

What city is ZIP code 28526 in?

ZIP code 28526 is primarily assigned to Dover, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28526 in?

ZIP code 28526 falls within Craven County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 28526 have a large retiree population?

58% of households in ZIP code 28526 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28526?

19% of residents in ZIP code 28526 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 28526?

The median home value in ZIP code 28526 is $105,700.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 28526?

Health data for ZIP code 28526 shows elevated rates of diabetes (16%) and smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

What timezone is ZIP code 28526 in?

ZIP code 28526 observes the EST timezone.