Charlotte, North Carolina

Household Income by Zip Code in Charlotte

Median household income for all 22 zip codes in Charlotte, plus who lives here, what rent costs, and how Charlotte compares with North Carolina and the rest of the country.

Median household income

$82,068

2% above the U.S.

Median rent

$1,612/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

34.5

U.S. 38.9

Zip codes

22

Inside city limits

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024

Median household income

$82,068

North Carolina $72,388 · U.S. $80,734

Average household income

$123,732

Pulled up by the highest earners

Per capita income

$51,814

Income per resident, all ages

Full-time worker earnings

$62,629

Median for year-round, full-time workers

Median rent

$1,612/mo

Rent plus utilities paid by renters

Median home value

$385,700

Owner-occupied homes

Overview

Charlotte income at a glance

The median household income in Charlotte is $82,068, 13% above the North Carolina median of $72,388 and 2% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The average household earns $123,732, higher than the median because a smaller number of very high earners pull the average up. 41% of households earn $100,000 or more (41% nationwide), and 15% earn $200,000 or more.

Income varies a lot from one part of Charlotte to another. The highest-income zip code, 28207, has a median of $217,204, while 28212 has a median of $52,723, a gap of about 4.1 to 1. Of the 22 zip codes with at least 1,000 residents, 12 have a median above the citywide figure and 14 are above the North Carolina median.

Median household income by zip code

Every Charlotte zip code with at least 1,000 residents, highest to lowest.

Above city medianBelow city medianCity median $82,068
28207$217,204
28211$132,917
28270$131,667
28277$128,627
28226$118,606
28202$105,889
28203$104,696
28209$101,873
28210$100,824
28204$92,054
28273$87,350
28214$86,447
28269$81,517
28205$75,622
28215$71,162
28262$69,231
28216$65,795
28217$64,028
28206$61,818
28213$58,146
28208$55,431
28212$52,723

Income spread

How income is spread across Charlotte households

Share of households by income

Charlotte compared with the United States.

CharlotteUnited States
Under $25K12%
$25K to $50K17%
$50K to $75K17%
$75K to $100K13%
$100K to $150K17%
$150K to $200K9%
$200K or more15%

What income puts you in the top 20% in Charlotte?

A household in Charlotte needs about $168,564 a year to be in the top 20% of earners, and more than $250,000 to reach the top 5%. The middle 60% of households, a common way to define the middle class, earns roughly $37,128 to $168,564.

Bottom 20%under $37,128
Second 20%$37,128 to $65,613
Middle 20%$65,613 to $102,541
Fourth 20%$102,541 to $168,564
Top 20%$168,564 and up (top 5%: more than $250,000)

For more on how these cutoffs work nationally, see what income is middle class in America.

People

Who lives in Charlotte

Charlotte has a median age of 34.5 (U.S. 38.9). 48% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 12 points higher than the national rate of 36%. 49% of households rent their home, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line, compared with 12% nationwide.

Median age

34.5

U.S. 38.9

Bachelor's or higher

48%

Adults 25+ · U.S. 36%

Household size

2.41

People per household · U.S. 2.53

Poverty rate

12%

U.S. 12%

Unemployment

5%

Labor force · U.S. 5%

Work from home

29%

Workers 16+ · U.S. 15%

Average commute

25 min

One way · U.S. 26 min

Seniors (65+)

11%

Under 18: 23%

Race and ethnicity

Share of residents. Hispanic or Latino residents can be of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic.

Charlotte
U.S.
  • White38%U.S. 57%
  • Black33%U.S. 12%
  • Hispanic or Latino18%U.S. 19%
  • Asian6%U.S. 6%
  • Other or multiracial5%U.S. 5%

Diversity score

The chance that two randomly chosen residents are from different racial or ethnic groups.

71%
0U.S. 61% marked100

Charlotte is more diverse than the country overall. The largest groups are White (38%) and Black (33%) residents. The most diverse zip code is 28273 (73%).

Own vs. rent

Occupied homes in Charlotte.

Renters: 49%Owners: 51%
  • 51%Owners
  • 49%Renters
  • U.S.: 65% own, 35% rent

Age mix

Share of residents by age.

Charlotte
U.S.
  • Under 1823%U.S. 22%
  • 18 to 6466%U.S. 61%
  • 65 and older11%U.S. 17%

Every zip code

Median household income by zip code in Charlotte

28202$105,88954%$1,933$443,50030.564%71%66%9,980
28203$104,69653%$1,921$707,80028.781%71%38%11,038
28204$92,05443%$1,735$585,20031.078%72%53%5,582
28205$75,62239%$1,460$457,20034.248%57%69%23,357
28206$61,81824%$1,400$298,60033.134%67%57%7,126
28207$217,20467%$1,664$1,409,30046.987%16%18%4,129
28208$55,43126%$1,244$236,30034.027%61%59%16,548
28209$101,87352%$1,710$623,00033.771%52%42%12,793
28210$100,82450%$1,554$531,70036.960%44%57%20,684
28211$132,91761%$1,767$774,90038.468%46%48%13,602
28212$52,72320%$1,362$266,90032.323%62%71%15,649
28213$58,14629%$1,444$282,90032.534%56%68%18,636
28214$86,44742%$1,696$295,80035.437%24%70%15,121
28215$71,16231%$1,449$315,00034.932%33%66%24,260
28216$65,79527%$1,560$287,00034.733%49%60%23,858
28217$64,02829%$1,594$263,30031.238%70%71%12,952
28226$118,60658%$1,622$617,60040.665%32%48%15,651
28262$69,23128%$1,569$346,60029.546%72%67%22,529
28269$81,51738%$1,710$341,70035.946%39%64%31,766
28270$131,66761%$1,763$589,50040.068%23%54%12,148
28273$87,35042%$1,729$340,60033.338%50%73%18,996
28277$128,62762%$1,882$560,60039.868%39%61%28,944

Tap any column header to sort. Click a zip code for its full income breakdown. Diversity is the chance two random residents are from different racial or ethnic groups. Zip codes are Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas with most of their land inside Charlotte city limits; some extend past the city line. Estimates for small zip codes have larger margins of error.

Want the full picture for one zip?

See the income spread and six-figure households for any U.S. zip code.

Look up a zip code

Rankings

Highest-income zip codes in Charlotte

The 6 Charlotte zip codes with the highest median household income, among zip codes with at least 1,000 residents.

  1. 2820767% earn $100K+$217,204
  2. 2821161% earn $100K+$132,917
  3. 2827061% earn $100K+$131,667
  4. 2827762% earn $100K+$128,627
  5. 2822658% earn $100K+$118,606
  6. 2820254% earn $100K+$105,889

Most six-figure households

  1. 28207Median $217,20467%
  2. 28277Median $128,62762%
  3. 28270Median $131,66761%
  4. 28211Median $132,91761%

Lowest median income

  1. 2821220% earn $100K+$52,723
  2. 2820826% earn $100K+$55,431
  3. 2821329% earn $100K+$58,146
  4. 2820624% earn $100K+$61,818

Housing

Rent and affordability in Charlotte

A year of median rent as a share of median household income

24% in Charlotte. Rent at or under 30% of income is the common affordability guideline.

0%60%

The median rent in Charlotte is $1,612 a month, including utilities the renter pays. A year of that rent equals about 24% of the city's median household income. Under the 30% rule, a household needs about $64,480 a year to comfortably afford the median rent. Among zip codes with at least 1,000 residents, 28202 has the highest median rent at $1,933, and 28208 has the lowest at $1,244. See how this compares with other states in our rent affordability guide.

Home values in Charlotte

The median value of an owner-occupied home in Charlotte is $385,700, about 4.7 times the median household income. The highest median home value is in 28207 ($1,409,300), and the lowest is in 28208 ($236,300).

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the median household income in Charlotte?

The median household income in Charlotte, North Carolina is $82,068, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey. That is 2% above the U.S. median of $80,734.

What is the richest zip code in Charlotte?

Among zip codes with at least 1,000 residents, 28207 has the highest median household income in Charlotte at $217,204. 67% of its households earn $100,000 or more.

How much do you need to earn to be in the top 20% in Charlotte?

A household needs about $168,564 a year to be in the top 20% of earners in Charlotte, and more than $250,000 to reach the top 5%.

How much income do you need to afford rent in Charlotte?

With a median rent of $1,612 a month, a household needs about $64,480 a year to keep rent at 30% of income, the common affordability guideline.

How diverse is Charlotte?

Charlotte has a diversity score of 71%, meaning there is a 71% chance that two randomly chosen residents are from different racial or ethnic groups. The U.S. score is 61%.

What is the median age in Charlotte?

The median age in Charlotte is 34.5, compared with 38.9 for the U.S. as a whole.

What percentage of Charlotte households earn over $100,000?

41% of households in Charlotte earn $100,000 or more a year, compared with 41% of households nationwide.

More income data

Other cities

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B19013, B19001, B19025, B19080, B19301, B25064, B25077, S2001, B01001, B01002, B03002, B15003, B25003, B25010, B17001, B23025, B08301, B08013 and B08303). Income is in 2024 dollars. City figures cover the area within Charlotte city limits.