28159 ZIP Code — Spencer, NC

Rowan County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28159 is located in Spencer, North Carolina, within Rowan County. It covers approximately 2.24 square miles and serves a population of 2,954 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 336.

About ZIP code 28159

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $136,400. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 60%.

Median household income is $60,449. Poverty affects 18% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 18% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 36% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 29 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 21% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (24%) compared to national benchmarks. 17% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 28159 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,954

population

2.24

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28159 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28159

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28159. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Spencer	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28144 Salisbury (1.6 mi) 28144 Salisbury (1.6 mi) 28146 Salisbury (5.1 mi) 28146 Salisbury (5.1 mi) 27299 Linwood (5.3 mi) 28147 Salisbury (7.1 mi) 27054 Woodleaf (11.7 mi) 28138 Rockwell (12 mi) 28023 China Grove (12.3 mi) 28023 China Grove (12.3 mi) 27294 Lexington (13.5 mi) 27292 Lexington (13.7 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,954
Population density	1,319 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	159

Geography
Land area	2.24 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	35.6927
Longitude	-80.4317
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	336

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	41.5%	47.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	49.4%	32.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	8.0%	16.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	1.2%	3.6%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

2,954

Population

1,319

People per sq mi

41.5

Median age

$60,449

Median household income

$28,780

Per capita income

$136,400

Median home value

$1,045

Median monthly rent

59.6%

Home ownership

17.9%

Poverty rate

10.3%

Unemployment

894

Housing units

21.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

101

10–14

15–19

20–24

241

25–34

217

194

35–44

174

281

45–54

252

131

55–59

117

60–64

127

65–74

113

104

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	580	19.6%
18 and over	2,374	80.4%
65 and over	461	15.6%
Median age	41.5 years

Race & ethnicity

White 54.7%

Black or African American 38%

Hispanic or Latino 3.4%

Two or more races 3.4%

Other race 0.5%

Group	Count	%
White	1,674	54.7%
Black or African American	1,163	38%
Hispanic or Latino	104	3.4%
Two or more races	103	3.4%
Other race	14	0.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	41.5%	47.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	49.4%	32.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	8.0%	16.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	1.2%	3.6%	6.0%

Under $10k 9.5%

$10k–$15k 6.0%

$15k–$25k 8.7%

$25k–$35k 5.6%

$35k–$50k 10.5%

$50k–$75k 29.9%

$75k–$100k 8.8%

$100k–$150k 17.1%

$150k–$200k 2.3%

$200k+ 1.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.5%
$10k–$15k	6.0%
$15k–$25k	8.7%
$25k–$35k	5.6%
$35k–$50k	10.5%
$50k–$75k	29.9%
$75k–$100k	8.8%
$100k–$150k	17.1%
$150k–$200k	2.3%
$200k+	1.5%
Median income	$60,449

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 2.4%

$50k–$100k 22.0%

$100k–$150k 32.0%

$150k–$200k 19.1%

$200k–$300k 13.8%

$300k–$500k 5.3%

$500k–$1M 5.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$136,400
Median rent / month	$1,045
Owner occupied	59.6%
Renter occupied	40.4%
Vacant	14.1%
Single-family detached	82.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.4%
Mobile homes	1.6%
Median rooms	5.4
Avg household size (owned)	2.54

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	4.1%
2000–2009	7.7%
1990–1999	7.5%
1980–1989	9.5%
1970–1979	12.9%
1960–1969	5.6%
1950–1959	16.1%
1940–1949	13.2%
1939 or earlier	23.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	1.7%
2 bedrooms	42.7%
3 bedrooms	35.2%
4 bedrooms	11.4%
5+ bedrooms	9.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	9.5%
1 vehicle	17.4%
2 vehicles	48.1%
3 or more	24.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	50.7%
Electricity	46.3%
Propane / LP gas	1.1%
Fuel oil	1.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	450	38.3%
Cohabiting couple	76	6.5%
Male householder, no spouse	255	21.7%
Female householder, no spouse	395	33.6%
Households with children under 18	297	25.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	390	33.2%
Average household size	2.46

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	44.2%	31.4%
Married	42.0%	37.8%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	3.0%	11.9%
Divorced	10.7%	18.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.6%

Some HS, no diploma 17.3%

HS graduate 29.9%

Some college, no degree 19.7%

Associate's degree 7.6%

Bachelor's degree 17.4%

Graduate / professional 3.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	78.2%
Bachelor's or higher	21.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	18	2.6%
Kindergarten	32	4.6%
Elementary school	292	41.6%
High school	149	21.2%
College / grad school	211	30.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 22.5%

Manufacturing 16.4%

Retail trade 15.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 11.9%

Construction 9.3%

Transportation & utilities 8.3%

Wholesale trade 4.7%

Professional & management 4.4%

Finance & real estate 4.3%

Other services 3.2%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	31.5%
Service	11.4%
Sales & office	16.3%
Natural resources & construction	10.3%
Production & transportation	30.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	82.0%
Government	14.1%
Self-employed	3.9%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	67.2%
Carpool	10.1%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.0%
Work from home	18.4%
Other means	3.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	29.0

Poverty

All people 17.9%

Under 18 years 15.0%

18 and over 18.6%

Married-couple families 2.4%

Female-led households 50.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	36.2%
Retirement income	19.1%
Supplemental Security	3.2%
Cash public assistance	10.1%
Food stamps / SNAP	17.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.5%
High blood pressure	40.3%
High cholesterol	34.8%
Diabetes	14.7%
Heart disease	8.5%
Stroke	4.7%
Asthma	10.5%
Arthritis	30.0%
Kidney disease	4.1%
Pulmonary disease	9.6%
Cancer	6.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	23.5%
Binge drinking	13.7%
No physical activity	31.4%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	37.0%
Depression	23.7%
Fair or poor health	21.0%
Poor mental health	16.1%
Poor physical health	14.0%
No health insurance	22.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	80.6%
Visited dentist	51.7%
Cholesterol screening	88.6%
Teeth loss	22.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	147	6.2%

Disability	%
Any disability	19.2%
Under 18	1.6%
18–64 years	12.7%
65 and over	73.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	63.0%
Public insurance	30.0%
No insurance	16.9%
Uninsured under 19	8.4%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,844	96.3%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,931	99.2%
Born in same state	2,915	98.7%
Born in different state	2,062	69.8%
Foreign born	16	0.5%
Naturalized citizen	23	0.8%
Not a US citizen	23	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	265	9%
Arab	228	7.7%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	48	1.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	39.8%
Internet access	93.8%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28159

What city is ZIP code 28159 in?

ZIP code 28159 is primarily assigned to Spencer, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28159 in?

ZIP code 28159 falls within Rowan County, North Carolina.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28159?

18% of residents in ZIP code 28159 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 28159 have a large retiree population?

36% of households in ZIP code 28159 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 28159?

The median home value in ZIP code 28159 is $136,400.

What is the population of ZIP code 28159?

ZIP code 28159 has an estimated population of 2,954 residents, with a density of 1,322 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 28159 in?

ZIP code 28159 observes the EST timezone.