Population & age
- Total population
- 170
- Median age
- 43.5
Waco, NC (28169)
Cleveland County · Population 170
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
Waco, NC (ZIP 28169) sits in Cleveland County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 39.9%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 10 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $10,449. Local establishments report average pay of $19,517 per worker (Census ZBP) — below the US average. FEMA has issued 20 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1977 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual precipitation averages 50.4" — a wet-climate ZCTA per NOAA's 1991–2020 Normals. County Health Rankings reports 12,476 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Fast-food restaurants outnumber grocery stores roughly 4-to-1 per capita (USDA Food Environment Atlas) — a "food swamp" pattern often linked to higher diet-related disease prevalence. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 1,157 residents (499 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $55,972, fair market rent of $930 for a two-bedroom, and a median home value of $85,600. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
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Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 94.7%
- Black
- 5.3%
- Asian
- 0.0%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 0.0%
Income & housing
- Median household income
- $55,972
- Median home value
- $85,600
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 15.2%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 0.0%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 45(76.3%)
- Renter-occupied
- 14(23.7%)
- Vacant units
- 31
- Built (median)
- 1978
Commute
- Public transit
- 0(0.0%)
- Work from home
- 15(25.9%)
- Avg commute
- 11.1 min
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 14(8.2%)
- Uninsured
- 0(0.0%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 30(50.8%)
- No broadband
- 29(49.2%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 0(0.0%)
- Non-English at home
- 0(0.0%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$760
/month
1 Bed
$760
/month
2 Bed
$930
/month
3 Bed
$1,290
/month
4 Bed
$1,320
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
New housing construction
New housing units permitted
513
Across 430 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $119.2M.
Single-family
403
79% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
110
21% of total units
Single-family value
$101.9M
construction value
Multifamily value
$17.4M
construction value
Based on county-level data (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Business & employment
Business establishments
7
Total employment
29
Annual payroll
$566K
Average annual pay
$19,517
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Employment & wages
Average annual pay
$53,753
Average weekly wage
$1,034
Total employment
36,696
Total establishments
2,287
That is roughly 18% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment
Unemployment rate
4.0%
That tracks the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
45,431
Employed
43,628
Unemployed
1,803
Based on Cleveland County, NC data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Federal Disaster Declarations
Federally Declared Disasters
20
Date Range
1977–2026
Most Recent Declaration
SEVERE WINTER STORM
Winter Storm — declared January 24, 2026 (DR-3637)
Incident period: January 21, 2026 – January 27, 2026
Top Incident Types
- Hurricane7 (35%)
- Snowstorm4 (20%)
- Tropical Storm2 (10%)
- Biological2 (10%)
- Winter Storm1 (5%)
- Other4 (20%)
Individual Assistance
3
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
3
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
18
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
5
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
Climate
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
59.2°F
45.9° – 72.4°
Annual precipitation
50.4"
Annual snowfall
4"
Heating · cooling days
3,559.4 · 1,459.3
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: SHELBY 2 NW, NC US, 8.5 miles from the centroid of Waco, NC (ZIP 28169)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Community health profile
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
12,476
That is roughly 4,276 years per 100,000 above the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
21%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
4.4
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
5.3
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
11.0%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
44
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
3,429
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
7.3
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
64%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
50%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 10.5% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Cleveland data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access
Food access status
Moderate food access challenges
13.8% of Cleveland County, NC residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.17
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
—
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
1.37
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.77
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 6.0% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Cleveland County, NC for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
Safety
FBI publishes crime data at the county level. Numbers below cover the primary county that contains this ZIP. Rates are per 100,000 residents in the area covered by reporting agencies.
Violent crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 146 reports
Property crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 488 reports
Homicide
3
Robbery
14
Burglary
162
Vehicle theft
63
County-level data for Cleveland (2024)
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Public domain. Coverage varies by reporting agency; areas with partial agency coverage may understate true crime totals.
Who’s moving in and out
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+1,157 people
+499 households • +$37.7M net AGI flow
Moved in
3,182households
6,054 people • $156.8M AGI
Moved out
2,683households
4,897 people • $119.1M AGI
Where new residents came from
- Gaston County, NC — 724 households
- Mecklenburg County, NC — 250 households
- Rutherford County, NC — 166 households
- Lincoln County, NC — 100 households
- Cherokee County, SC — 89 households
Where departing residents went
- Gaston County, NC — 509 households
- Rutherford County, NC — 171 households
- Mecklenburg County, NC — 147 households
- Lincoln County, NC — 111 households
- Cherokee County, SC — 110 households
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $49,278 versus departing households' $44,395.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
Taxes & benefits in North Carolina
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 28169. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Tax rates
Income tax
4.25%
flat · 1 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
7.00%
State 4.75% · avg local 2.25%
Property tax (effective)
0.48%
Median $1,058/year
Tax burden rank
21 of 50
9.60% of personal income
For ZIP 28169: Applied to this ZIP's typical home value of $85,600, that works out to roughly $407/year in property tax.
Paid family leave
Program
No program
No program
Safety net
SNAP eligibility
200% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). No asset test.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Other ZIPs near 28169
Nearby ZIPs by distance
28021 (Cherryville, 3.3 mi) · 28042 (Fallston, 6.2 mi) · 28033 (Crouse, 7.1 mi) · 28150 (Shelby, 8.3 mi) · 28086 (Kings Mountain, 8.4 mi) · 28016 (Bessemer City, 8.8 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Data sources used on this page
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
Obesity
36.5%
3.5pp above the 33.0% national rate.
High Blood Pressure
39.9%
7.9pp above the 32.0% national rate.
Depression
24.8%
2.8pp above the 22.0% national rate.
Annual Checkup
80.4%
4.4pp above the 76.0% national rate.
Health Insurance
10.4%
2.6pp below the 13.0% national rate.
Diabetes
12.2%
Tracks close to the 11.0% national rate.
Colleges & universities nearby
Colleges in this area
10
Median in-state tuition
$10,449
Median earnings (10 yr)
$36,122
- 2-Year
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury, NC · 28146
- In-state tuition
- $2,064
- Out-of-state tuition
- $6,672
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 32.6%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $34,936
- Median student debt
- $9,458
- 4-Year
Wingate University
Wingate, NC · 28174
- In-state tuition
- $41,636
- Out-of-state tuition
- $41,636
- Acceptance rate
- 91.1%
- Graduation rate
- 46.6%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $52,649
- Median student debt
- $25,000
- 2-Year
South Piedmont Community College
Polkton, NC · 28135
- In-state tuition
- $2,022
- Out-of-state tuition
- $6,630
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 36.8%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $37,308
- Median student debt
- —
- 2-Year
NASCAR Technical Institute
Mooresville, NC · 28117
- In-state tuition
- —
- Out-of-state tuition
- —
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 61.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $52,873
- Median student debt
- $13,124
- 4-Year
Catawba College
Salisbury, NC · 28144
- In-state tuition
- $34,300
- Out-of-state tuition
- $34,300
- Acceptance rate
- 75.2%
- Graduation rate
- 49.7%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $48,793
- Median student debt
- $25,000
- 2-Year
Isothermal Community College
Spindale, NC · 28160
- In-state tuition
- $2,030
- Out-of-state tuition
- $6,638
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 51.8%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $33,325
- Median student debt
- —
- 2-Year
Cleveland Community College
Shelby, NC · 28152
- In-state tuition
- $2,602
- Out-of-state tuition
- $8,746
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 20.4%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $33,755
- Median student debt
- —
- 4-Year
Livingstone College
Salisbury, NC · 28144
- In-state tuition
- $18,296
- Out-of-state tuition
- $18,296
- Acceptance rate
- 59.3%
- Graduation rate
- 26.1%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $32,600
- Median student debt
- $31,125
- 4-Year
Pfeiffer University
Misenheimer, NC · 28109
- In-state tuition
- $35,070
- Out-of-state tuition
- $35,070
- Acceptance rate
- 96.0%
- Graduation rate
- 38.6%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $51,562
- Median student debt
- $26,163
- Certificate
Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology
Mooresville, NC · 28115
- In-state tuition
- —
- Out-of-state tuition
- —
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 46.3%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $22,786
- Median student debt
- $9,833
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
What these numbers say together
Waco, NC (ZIP 28169) sits in Cleveland County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 39.9%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 10 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $10,449. Local establishments report average pay of $19,517 per worker (Census ZBP) — below the US average. FEMA has issued 20 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1977 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual precipitation averages 50.4" — a wet-climate ZCTA per NOAA's 1991–2020 Normals. County Health Rankings reports 12,476 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Fast-food restaurants outnumber grocery stores roughly 4-to-1 per capita (USDA Food Environment Atlas) — a "food swamp" pattern often linked to higher diet-related disease prevalence. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 1,157 residents (499 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $55,972, fair market rent of $930 for a two-bedroom, and a median home value of $85,600. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
The two domains pull in different directions. Healthcare access reads strong, but the on-paper school count is on the lighter side — that’s less a quality signal and more a density one. Households here often look at districts a few ZIPs over for school choice while keeping their providers local.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits higher the national rate at 24.8%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
Frequently Asked Questions — ZIP 28169
What is the obesity rate in ZIP 28169?
36.5%, which is 3.5 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the depression rate in ZIP 28169?
24.8%, which is 2.8 percentage points above the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the high blood pressure rate in ZIP 28169?
39.9%, which is 7.9 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 28169?
170 people live in ZIP 28169, with a median age of 43.5 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the median household income in ZIP 28169?
$55,972 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 28169 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 28169, 76.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.7% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 28169?
In ZIP 28169, 25.9% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.0% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 28169?
8.2% of the population in ZIP 28169 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 28169 have broadband internet?
50.8% of households in ZIP 28169 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How many businesses are in ZIP 28169?
As of 2022, 7 business establishments operated in ZIP 28169 employing 29 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the average salary in ZIP 28169?
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 28169 is $19,517, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
How vulnerable is ZIP 28169 to disasters and public health emergencies?
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 28169 ranks in the 53th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a high vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the biggest vulnerability factor in ZIP 28169?
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 28169, ranking in the 70th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
How many federally declared disasters has ZIP 28169 experienced?
FEMA has recorded 20 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 28169 between 1977–2026 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What kinds of disasters most often hit ZIP 28169?
Hurricane is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 28169, accounting for 7 of 20 declarations (35%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What was the most recent disaster declared for ZIP 28169?
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 28169 was "SEVERE WINTER STORM" — a winter storm declared in 2026 (DR-3637) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What colleges are near ZIP 28169?
10 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 28169 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Wingate University, and South Piedmont Community College (retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the average tuition at colleges near ZIP 28169?
Median in-state tuition across 10 nearby institutions is $10,449 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What do graduates earn from colleges near ZIP 28169?
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $36,122 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the climate like in ZIP 28169?
ZIP 28169 has an average annual temperature of 59.2°F and 50.4" of annual precipitation based on the SHELBY 2 NW, NC US weather station 8.5 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
What taxes apply in ZIP 28169?
North Carolina has a flat income tax with a top rate of 4.25%. Combined sales tax: 7.00% (Tax Foundation 2025).
Does North Carolina have paid family leave?
North Carolina has no state paid family leave program (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 28169?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (10 institutions), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (20 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), county-level crime data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
How current is this data?
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (20 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). County-level crime data retrieved May 4, 2026 from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Other ZIPs near 28169
Nearby ZIPs by distance
28021 (Cherryville, 3.3 mi) · 28042 (Fallston, 6.2 mi) · 28033 (Crouse, 7.1 mi) · 28150 (Shelby, 8.3 mi) · 28086 (Kings Mountain, 8.4 mi) · 28016 (Bessemer City, 8.8 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
More Info topics
Have a specific question about ZIP 28169?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
53rd percentile
High Vulnerability
Based on 1 census tract, population 104
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
2
Persons with Disability
12
Without HS Diploma
8
Without Health Insurance
15
Adults Age 65+
21
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.