27581 ZIP Code — Stem, NC
Granville County, North Carolina
ZIP code 27581 is located in Stem, North Carolina, within Granville County. It covers approximately 36.19 square miles and serves a population of 3,774 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 919/984.
About ZIP code 27581
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $193,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 90%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $67,500. The poverty rate of 6% is below the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 30 minutes is near the national average.
College attainment at 21% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.
3,774
population
36.19
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
27581 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 27581
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 27581. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Stem | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
27509 Butner (5.8 mi)
27522 Creedmoor (7.7 mi)
27503 Bahama (9.3 mi)
27572 Rougemont (9.6 mi)
27565 Oxford (10.9 mi)
27712 Durham (12.3 mi)
27583 Timberlake (12.4 mi)
27704 Durham (12.9 mi)
27544 Kittrell (15.5 mi)
27525 Franklinton (15.8 mi)
27708 Durham (17.4 mi)
27701 Durham (17.5 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 3,774 |
| Population density | 104 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 37 |
| County FIPS | 077 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 36.19 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.64 sq mi |
| Latitude | 36.2083 |
| Longitude | -78.7324 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 919/984 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 40.7% | 47.1% | 44.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 30.3% | 32.4% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 24.4% | 17.8% | 19.1% |
| Over $200k | 4.6% | 2.7% | 6.0% |
Demographics & statistics
3,774
Population
104
People per sq mi
36.7
Median age
$67,500
Median household income
$32,272
Per capita income
$193,300
Median home value
$937
Median monthly rent
90.0%
Home ownership
5.9%
Poverty rate
4.5%
Unemployment
1,388
Housing units
20.7%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
108
Under 5
117
80
5–9
86
134
10–14
144
140
15–19
151
164
20–24
176
243
25–34
263
228
35–44
245
272
45–54
294
87
55–59
93
69
60–64
75
190
65–74
204
63
75–84
67
39
85+
42
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 827 | 21.9% |
| 18 and over | 2,947 | 78.1% |
| 65 and over | 605 | 16.0% |
| Median age | 36.7 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
66.4%
Black or African American
21.5%
Two or more races
6.9%
Hispanic or Latino
3.2%
Other race
2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,587 | 66.4% |
| Black or African American | 840 | 21.5% |
| Two or more races | 269 | 6.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 125 | 3.2% |
| Other race | 78 | 2% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 40.7% | 47.1% | 44.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 30.3% | 32.4% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 24.4% | 17.8% | 19.1% |
| Over $200k | 4.6% | 2.7% | 6.0% |
Under $10k
1.2%
$10k–$15k
0.7%
$15k–$25k
6.8%
$25k–$35k
7.6%
$35k–$50k
20.0%
$50k–$75k
18.2%
$75k–$100k
11.4%
$100k–$150k
20.3%
$150k–$200k
7.0%
$200k+
6.7%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 1.2% |
| $10k–$15k | 0.7% |
| $15k–$25k | 6.8% |
| $25k–$35k | 7.6% |
| $35k–$50k | 20.0% |
| $50k–$75k | 18.2% |
| $75k–$100k | 11.4% |
| $100k–$150k | 20.3% |
| $150k–$200k | 7.0% |
| $200k+ | 6.7% |
| Median income | $67,500 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
12.7%
$50k–$100k
4.9%
$100k–$150k
9.6%
$150k–$200k
26.5%
$200k–$300k
32.9%
$300k–$500k
7.3%
$500k–$1M
6.0%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,300 |
| Median rent / month | $937 |
| Owner occupied | 90.0% |
| Renter occupied | 10.0% |
| Vacant | 11.5% |
| Single-family detached | 72.8% |
| Large apartment buildings | 0.0% |
| Mobile homes | 25.5% |
| Median rooms | 5.8 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.81 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 4.8% |
| 2010–2019 | 16.2% |
| 2000–2009 | 24.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 22.0% |
| 1980–1989 | 18.1% |
| 1970–1979 | 4.2% |
| 1960–1969 | 4.6% |
| 1950–1959 | 2.2% |
| 1940–1949 | 1.3% |
| 1939 or earlier | 2.6% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.0% |
| 1 bedroom | 1.6% |
| 2 bedrooms | 13.3% |
| 3 bedrooms | 72.8% |
| 4 bedrooms | 10.5% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 1.8% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 0.0% |
| 1 vehicle | 23.4% |
| 2 vehicles | 35.6% |
| 3 or more | 41.0% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 12.1% |
| Electricity | 72.9% |
| Propane / LP gas | 11.4% |
| Fuel oil | 3.4% |
| Wood | 0.1% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 730 | 54.2% |
| Cohabiting couple | 72 | 5.3% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 115 | 8.5% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 431 | 32.0% |
| Households with children under 18 | 421 | 31.2% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 397 | 29.5% |
| Average household size | 2.79 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 36.1% | 30.7% |
| Married | 53.5% | 52.4% |
| Separated | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Widowed | 0.0% | 8.5% |
| Divorced | 8.7% | 5.4% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
2.6%
Some HS, no diploma
5.2%
HS graduate
44.2%
Some college, no degree
17.3%
Associate's degree
9.9%
Bachelor's degree
13.3%
Graduate / professional
7.4%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 92.2% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.7% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 43 | 4.9% |
| Kindergarten | 29 | 3.3% |
| Elementary school | 407 | 46.7% |
| High school | 191 | 21.9% |
| College / grad school | 202 | 23.2% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
32.2%
Professional & management
13.1%
Manufacturing
8.2%
Retail trade
8.0%
Public administration
6.6%
Transportation & utilities
5.9%
Finance & real estate
5.9%
Arts, food & hospitality
5.8%
Other services
5.7%
Construction
4.9%
Wholesale trade
2.2%
Agriculture & mining
0.7%
Information
0.7%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 35.1% |
| Service | 20.0% |
| Sales & office | 22.8% |
| Natural resources & construction | 9.2% |
| Production & transportation | 12.9% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 73.0% |
| Government | 20.6% |
| Self-employed | 6.5% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 84.7% |
| Carpool | 9.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 5.9% |
| Other means | 0.2% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 30.0 |
Poverty
All people
5.9%
Under 18 years
8.9%
18 and over
5.1%
Married-couple families
1.2%
Female-led households
8.0%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 27.5% |
| Retirement income | 24.9% |
| Supplemental Security | 5.9% |
| Cash public assistance | 4.0% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 8.5% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 31.7% |
| High blood pressure | 31.5% |
| High cholesterol | 33.4% |
| Diabetes | 9.2% |
| Heart disease | 5.7% |
| Stroke | 2.8% |
| Asthma | 9.1% |
| Arthritis | 24.0% |
| Kidney disease | 2.6% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.3% |
| Cancer | 6.0% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 19.0% |
| Binge drinking | 17.1% |
| No physical activity | 20.5% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 32.5% |
| Depression | 23.0% |
| Fair or poor health | 12.3% |
| Poor mental health | 14.4% |
| Poor physical health | 9.8% |
| No health insurance | 16.6% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 77.3% |
| Visited dentist | 67.5% |
| Cholesterol screening | 89.9% |
| Teeth loss | 12.6% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 194 | 6.6% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 11.2% |
| Under 18 | 10.6% |
| 18–64 years | 8.2% |
| 65 and over | 24.0% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 61.5% |
| Public insurance | 39.3% |
| No insurance | 7.5% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 1.2% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 3,549 | 94.0% |
| Spanish | 42 | 1.2% |
| Other Indo-European | 42 | 1.2% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 0 | 0.0% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 3,714 | 98.4% |
| Born in same state | 3,714 | 98.4% |
| Born in different state | 2,677 | 70.9% |
| Foreign born | 0 | 0.0% |
| Naturalized citizen | 60 | 1.6% |
| Not a US citizen | 14 | 23.3% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| French | 413 | 10.9% |
| Arab | 368 | 9.8% |
| Italian | 281 | 7.4% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| German | 15 | 0.4% |
| English | 5 | 0.1% |
| Polish | 3 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 35.7% |
| Internet access | 88.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 27581
What city is ZIP code 27581 in?
ZIP code 27581 is primarily assigned to Stem, North Carolina.
What county is ZIP code 27581 in?
ZIP code 27581 falls within Granville County, North Carolina.
Is ZIP code 27581 mostly owner-occupied?
90% of occupied units in ZIP code 27581 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 27581?
The median home value in ZIP code 27581 is $193,300.
What is the population of ZIP code 27581?
ZIP code 27581 has an estimated population of 3,774 residents, with a density of 104 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 27581?
The median household income in ZIP code 27581 is $67,500, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 27581 in?
ZIP code 27581 observes the EST timezone.