28601 ZIP Code — Hickory, NC
Catawba County, North Carolina
ZIP code 28601 is located in Hickory, North Carolina, within Catawba County. It covers approximately 47.06 square miles and serves a population of 53,172 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 828.
About ZIP code 28601
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $223,100. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 65%.
The gap between median ($65,158) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. 34% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 21 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 35% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
53,172
population
47.06
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
28601 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 28601
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28601. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Hickory | Acceptable |
| Hickory | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
28637 Hildebran (6.4 mi)
28613 Conover (7.3 mi)
28630 Granite Falls (7.4 mi)
28602 Hickory (7.7 mi)
28638 Hudson (8.9 mi)
28658 Newton (10.8 mi)
28610 Claremont (11.5 mi)
28681 Taylorsville (12.1 mi)
28690 Valdese (14.1 mi)
28612 Connelly Springs (14.4 mi)
28633 Lenoir (14.6 mi)
28678 Stony Point (16.2 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 53,172 |
| Population density | 1,130 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 37 |
| County FIPS | 035 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 47.06 sq mi |
| Water area | 3.42 sq mi |
| Latitude | 35.7804 |
| Longitude | -81.3365 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 828 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 45.7% | 45.7% | 44.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 30.1% | 33.1% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 18.8% | 17.0% | 19.1% |
| Over $200k | 5.4% | 4.2% | 6.0% |
Demographics & statistics
53,172
Population
1,130
People per sq mi
40.3
Median age
$65,158
Median household income
$38,136
Per capita income
$223,100
Median home value
$892
Median monthly rent
65.4%
Home ownership
12.1%
Poverty rate
5.3%
Unemployment
16,347
Housing units
34.6%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
1,202
Under 5
1,225
1,365
5–9
1,390
1,561
10–14
1,590
1,949
15–19
1,985
2,038
20–24
2,075
3,338
25–34
3,399
3,041
35–44
3,096
3,480
45–54
3,543
1,909
55–59
1,945
1,671
60–64
1,701
2,760
65–74
2,810
1,507
75–84
1,535
524
85+
533
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 10,652 | 20.0% |
| 18 and over | 42,520 | 80.0% |
| 65 and over | 9,669 | 18.2% |
| Median age | 40.3 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
74%
Black or African American
7.5%
Two or more races
5.9%
Hispanic or Latino
5.2%
Asian
3.9%
Other race
3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 41,520 | 74% |
| Black or African American | 4,217 | 7.5% |
| Two or more races | 3,305 | 5.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,934 | 5.2% |
| Asian | 2,169 | 3.9% |
| Other race | 1,891 | 3.4% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 70 | 0.1% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 45.7% | 45.7% | 44.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 30.1% | 33.1% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 18.8% | 17.0% | 19.1% |
| Over $200k | 5.4% | 4.2% | 6.0% |
Under $10k
4.9%
$10k–$15k
3.7%
$15k–$25k
8.2%
$25k–$35k
9.1%
$35k–$50k
12.1%
$50k–$75k
18.6%
$75k–$100k
12.8%
$100k–$150k
15.8%
$150k–$200k
6.9%
$200k+
7.9%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 4.9% |
| $10k–$15k | 3.7% |
| $15k–$25k | 8.2% |
| $25k–$35k | 9.1% |
| $35k–$50k | 12.1% |
| $50k–$75k | 18.6% |
| $75k–$100k | 12.8% |
| $100k–$150k | 15.8% |
| $150k–$200k | 6.9% |
| $200k+ | 7.9% |
| Median income | $65,158 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
3.2%
$50k–$100k
6.2%
$100k–$150k
16.3%
$150k–$200k
17.4%
$200k–$300k
23.3%
$300k–$500k
23.2%
$500k–$1M
9.2%
$1M+
1.2%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $223,100 |
| Median rent / month | $892 |
| Owner occupied | 65.4% |
| Renter occupied | 34.6% |
| Vacant | 9.6% |
| Single-family detached | 63.3% |
| Large apartment buildings | 4.6% |
| Mobile homes | 6.0% |
| Median rooms | 5.5 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.49 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.2% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.2% |
| 2000–2009 | 12.1% |
| 1990–1999 | 16.9% |
| 1980–1989 | 17.4% |
| 1970–1979 | 18.5% |
| 1960–1969 | 12.6% |
| 1950–1959 | 8.3% |
| 1940–1949 | 4.1% |
| 1939 or earlier | 4.9% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 1.2% |
| 1 bedroom | 7.9% |
| 2 bedrooms | 29.3% |
| 3 bedrooms | 40.1% |
| 4 bedrooms | 16.7% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 4.7% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 5.7% |
| 1 vehicle | 30.4% |
| 2 vehicles | 36.3% |
| 3 or more | 27.6% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 32.6% |
| Electricity | 62.1% |
| Propane / LP gas | 1.7% |
| Fuel oil | 1.7% |
| Wood | 0.8% |
| No fuel used | 0.8% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 10,287 | 47.8% |
| Cohabiting couple | 1,498 | 7.0% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 3,941 | 18.3% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 5,775 | 26.9% |
| Households with children under 18 | 6,214 | 28.9% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 6,831 | 31.8% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 37.1% | 31.3% |
| Married | 49.8% | 45.9% |
| Separated | 1.7% | 2.1% |
| Widowed | 2.9% | 8.3% |
| Divorced | 8.6% | 12.3% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
3.9%
Some HS, no diploma
5.5%
HS graduate
24.6%
Some college, no degree
19.8%
Associate's degree
11.6%
Bachelor's degree
22.5%
Graduate / professional
12.1%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 90.6% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.6% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 622 | 4.8% |
| Kindergarten | 616 | 4.8% |
| Elementary school | 4,510 | 35.0% |
| High school | 2,887 | 22.4% |
| College / grad school | 4,258 | 33.0% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Manufacturing
22.4%
Education & healthcare
20.8%
Retail trade
14.4%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.1%
Professional & management
6.5%
Construction
5.5%
Other services
5.1%
Transportation & utilities
4.2%
Finance & real estate
4.1%
Wholesale trade
3.6%
Public administration
3.4%
Information
1.3%
Agriculture & mining
0.5%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 38.5% |
| Service | 12.8% |
| Sales & office | 20.5% |
| Natural resources & construction | 7.3% |
| Production & transportation | 20.9% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 84.5% |
| Government | 10.1% |
| Self-employed | 5.4% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.4% |
| Carpool | 10.3% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 6.3% |
| Other means | 1.8% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 21.3 |
Poverty
All people
12.1%
Under 18 years
15.0%
18 and over
11.4%
Married-couple families
5.5%
Female-led households
19.4%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 33.9% |
| Retirement income | 21.1% |
| Supplemental Security | 6.2% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.9% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 12.1% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 30.2% |
| High blood pressure | 34.4% |
| High cholesterol | 35.0% |
| Diabetes | 10.2% |
| Heart disease | 6.9% |
| Stroke | 3.2% |
| Asthma | 9.2% |
| Arthritis | 26.6% |
| Kidney disease | 3.1% |
| Pulmonary disease | 7.2% |
| Cancer | 6.9% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 18.5% |
| Binge drinking | 15.6% |
| No physical activity | 22.2% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 32.9% |
| Depression | 23.0% |
| Fair or poor health | 14.0% |
| Poor mental health | 14.2% |
| Poor physical health | 10.7% |
| No health insurance | 17.6% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 78.5% |
| Visited dentist | 64.4% |
| Cholesterol screening | 89.5% |
| Teeth loss | 14.0% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 3,179 | 7.5% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 13.6% |
| Under 18 | 3.0% |
| 18–64 years | 10.9% |
| 65 and over | 34.7% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 67.6% |
| Public insurance | 34.6% |
| No insurance | 10.6% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 7.7% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 50,745 | 95.4% |
| Spanish | 2,328 | 4.6% |
| Other Indo-European | 1,345 | 2.7% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 219 | 0.4% |
| Other languages | 764 | 1.5% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 49,268 | 92.7% |
| Born in same state | 48,794 | 91.8% |
| Born in different state | 33,237 | 62.5% |
| Foreign born | 474 | 0.9% |
| Naturalized citizen | 3,904 | 7.3% |
| Not a US citizen | 1,977 | 50.6% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| French | 7,071 | 13.3% |
| Arab | 7,063 | 13.3% |
| Italian | 4,725 | 8.9% |
| English | 728 | 1.4% |
| Polish | 313 | 0.6% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| German | 168 | 0.3% |
| Irish | 130 | 0.2% |
| Dutch | 71 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 15 | 0% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 40.4% |
| Internet access | 93.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28601
What part of Hickory is ZIP code 28601?
ZIP code 28601 covers a portion of Hickory, North Carolina, within Catawba County.
What county is ZIP code 28601 in?
ZIP code 28601 falls within Catawba County, North Carolina.
What is the population of ZIP code 28601?
ZIP code 28601 has an estimated population of 53,172 residents, with a density of 1,130 people per square mile.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 28601?
The median home value in ZIP code 28601 is $223,100.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 28601?
The median household income in ZIP code 28601 is $65,158, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 28601 in?
ZIP code 28601 observes the EST timezone.