ZIP Code · NC

ZIP 28501

Part of Kinston, NC

Pop. 17,642·Lenoir County·224th most expensive ZIP in North Carolina

Median rent (all units)

$1,094/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

-0.6%

vs US Median

-$838

Reported rents

Falling (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 28501 · $1,094

More affordable than 95% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$900

1 BR

$910

2 BR

$1,190

3 BR

$1,600

4 BR+

$1,990

Research median

$1,190/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($35,118) is $878 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($900).

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28501. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$13,128/yr

At $1,094/mo median

Location

CityKinston

StateNC

CountyLenoir County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, -0.6% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 28501 (Kinston, NC) is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 13.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

17,642

Median income

$35,118

Median age

42.7

Renters

51.6%

Age distribution

23.6%

19.5%

22.1%

13.4%

21.4%

Under 1823.6%

18–3419.5%

35–5422.1%

55–6413.4%

65+21.4%

Gender

45.4%

54.6%

Male45.4%

Female54.6%

Race & ethnicity

25%

64.6%

White25%

Black64.6%

Hispanic4.7%

Asian0.5%

Other5.2%

Education (25+)

17.8%

35.7%

33.1%

13.3%

No HS diploma17.8%

HS diploma35.7%

Some college33.1%

Bachelor's+13.3%

Housing tenure

48.4%

51.6%

Owner48.4%

Renter51.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 28501 in Kinston, NC has changed in 5 years

Income

$30,855 → $35,118

up 13.8%

Population

18,365 → 17,642

down 3.9%

Renter share

54.9% → 51.6%

-3.3 pts

Bachelor's+

11.7% → 13.3%

+1.6 pts

Median age

40.7 → 42.7

+2.0 yrs

Census figures show median household income at $35,118 today, compared with $30,855 five years earlier. The population has contracted by 3.9% since 2021, moving from about 18,365 residents to roughly 17,642. Renters now make up 51.6% of households, compared with 54.9% five years ago.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 28501

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 28501 covers Kinston, NC. The median rent here is $1,094/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $910/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,190/mo.

At 37% of local median household income ($35,118/yr), ZIP 28501 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 28501?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $44,000/year (about $21/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,094/mo in ZIP 28501. The local median household income is $35,118/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.