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North Carolina ZIP Codes
Pamlico County
Merritt, NC
28556
28556 ZIP Code — Merritt, NC
Pamlico County, North Carolina
ZIP code 28556 is located in
Merritt ,
North Carolina ,
within Pamlico County .
It covers approximately 51.52 square miles and serves a population of
777 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone,
served by area code 252 .
About ZIP code 28556
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $288,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 75%, well above the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 23 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is high — 57% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.
Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 14% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.
Overall, ZIP code 28556 reflects a community defined by a highly educated population, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.
28556 ZIP code map
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Cities in ZIP code 28556
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28556. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
Nearby ZIP codes
Demographics
updated 05/2026
Population
Total population
777
Population density
15 / sq mi
State FIPS
37
County FIPS
137
Geography
Land area
51.52 sq mi
Water area
28.90 sq mi
Latitude
35.1161
Longitude
-76.6752
Timezone
Eastern (ET)
Area code
252
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
50.8%
53.1%
44.4%
$50k – $100k
14.1%
25.8%
30.6%
$100k – $200k
35.0%
18.1%
19.1%
Over $200k
0.0%
3.1%
6.0%
Demographics & statistics
$0
Median household income
$288,400
Median home value
56.6%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 68 8.8% 18 and over 709 91.2% 65 and over 214 27.5% Median age 56.5 years
Race & ethnicity
Group Count % White 751 96.3% Two or more races 26 3.3% Hispanic or Latino 3 0.4%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
50.8%
53.1%
44.4%
$50k – $100k
14.1%
25.8%
30.6%
$100k – $200k
35.0%
18.1%
19.1%
Over $200k
0.0%
3.1%
6.0%
Range % of households Under $10k 3.1% $15k–$25k 13.3% $25k–$35k 27.9% $35k–$50k 2.6% $50k–$75k 5.4% $75k–$100k 9.0% $100k–$150k 26.2% $150k–$200k 12.6% Median income $0
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $288,400 Median rent / month $0 Owner occupied 75.1% Renter occupied 24.9% Vacant 28.4% Single-family detached 83.3% Large apartment buildings 0.0% Mobile homes 16.7% Median rooms 5.6 Avg household size (owned) 1.99
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 0.0% 2010–2019 9.0% 2000–2009 28.3% 1990–1999 31.9% 1980–1989 7.0% 1970–1979 8.1% 1960–1969 6.6% 1950–1959 0.0% 1940–1949 1.3% 1939 or earlier 7.9%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 0.0% 1 bedroom 18.9% 2 bedrooms 15.6% 3 bedrooms 51.9% 4 bedrooms 13.6% 5+ bedrooms 0.0%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 0.0% 1 vehicle 42.3% 2 vehicles 33.1% 3 or more 24.6%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Utility gas 5.6% Electricity 43.3% Propane / LP gas 47.9% Wood 3.1%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 185 47.4% Cohabiting couple 23 5.9% Male householder, no spouse 79 20.3% Female householder, no spouse 103 26.4% Households with children under 18 44 11.3% Households with seniors (65+) 138 35.4% Average household size 1.99
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 14.7% 23.9% Married 57.8% 41.5% Separated 3.3% 22.0% Widowed 0.0% 2.9% Divorced 24.2% 9.7%
Education
Some college, no degree
19.7%
Graduate / professional
36.9%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 95.8% Bachelor's or higher 56.6%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 30 20.3% Kindergarten 0 0.0% Elementary school 9 6.1% High school 11 7.4% College / grad school 98 66.2%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
37.7%
Professional & management
7.9%
Finance & real estate
4.8%
Public administration
4.1%
Agriculture & mining
3.4%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 58.9% Service 0.0% Sales & office 28.4% Natural resources & construction 9.2% Production & transportation 3.4%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 52.1% Government 40.1% Self-employed 7.9% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 87.0% Carpool 0.0% Public transit 0.0% Walk 0.0% Work from home 13.0% Other means 0.0% Avg commute (minutes) 23.1
Poverty
Married-couple families
7.0%
Female-led households
0.0%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 73.8% Retirement income 40.8% Supplemental Security 23.3% Cash public assistance 0.0% Food stamps / SNAP 0.0%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 31.0% High blood pressure 38.9% High cholesterol 40.7% Diabetes 11.8% Heart disease 8.0% Stroke 3.6% Asthma 8.6% Arthritis 30.9% Kidney disease 3.4% Pulmonary disease 7.5% Cancer 8.7%
Behavior / access % Smoking 15.7% Binge drinking 13.9% No physical activity 20.3% Less than 7 hrs sleep 29.9% Depression 21.1% Fair or poor health 13.0% Poor mental health 12.2% Poor physical health 10.5% No health insurance 13.4% Visited doctor (checkup) 80.4% Visited dentist 70.6% Cholesterol screening 93.5% Teeth loss 10.8%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 102 14.4%
Disability % Any disability 18.0% Under 18 16.2% 18–64 years 19.8% 65 and over 14.5%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 54.8% Public insurance 51.7% No insurance 14.8% Uninsured under 19 0.0%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 747 96.1% Spanish 4 0.5% Other Indo-European 4 0.5% Asian & Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 764 98.3% Born in same state 752 96.8% Born in different state 331 42.6% Foreign born 12 1.5% Naturalized citizen 13 1.7% Not a US citizen 13 100.0%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count % Italian 209 26.9% French 175 22.5%
Ancestry Count % Arab 45 5.8%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 50.2% Internet access 95.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28556
What city is ZIP code 28556 in?
ZIP code 28556 is primarily assigned to Merritt, North Carolina.
What county is ZIP code 28556 in?
ZIP code 28556 falls within Pamlico County, North Carolina.
Does ZIP code 28556 have a large retiree population?
74% of households in ZIP code 28556 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
Does ZIP code 28556 have an older population?
28% of residents in ZIP code 28556 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 28556?
57% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.
Does ZIP code 28556 have a large veteran population?
14% of civilians in ZIP code 28556 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.
What timezone is ZIP code 28556 in?
ZIP code 28556 observes the EST timezone.
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