Highlands, NC

Single-footprint Census roll-up for Highlands, NC: 1 USPS ZIP, population 3,197. Open the primary ZIP for household income, housing tenure, and commute from ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates.

U.S. Census Bureau, SimpleMaps US ZIP Code Database, delivery-area ZIP coverage

ACS city ledger plate

Sheet HIGHLANDS-NC · Highlands, NC 1 ZIPs · 3,197 pop · #13091/25278 · Macon County

INC-MID · RANK-MID · PHOTO-FINISH · BOOK-ONE · OWN-MID · POP-VILLAGE · SPREAD-UNK · HOME-HIGH

  • INC-MID $70,392
  • RANK-MID #13091/25278
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Otto
  • BOOK-ONE 1 ZIP
  • OWN-MID 75% owners
  • POP-VILLAGE 3,197
  • SPREAD-UNK Single-ZIP book
  • HOME-HIGH $631,000

Nearest income peer: Otto, NC (+ $1,877 income $)

Instrument codes from this city’s ACS household income, national rank, county-peer gap, ZIP book, owner tenure, population scale, intra-city income spread, and home-value band, not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Highlands

Lowest/highest poles plus county-sharing cities nearest Highlands on average ZIP median household income. Full ladder: /cities.

median HH income

What this shows County-sharing peers only, not the full US city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the mosaic is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-25

National city placement

According to ACS 5-Year Estimates, Highlands, NC sits among US cities with a below-median household income, on a village-scale population base, across a single-ZIP footprint.

48th pct
household income vs 25,278 US cities
3,197
city population (Census)
1
USPS ZIP codes covered
$70,392
avg ZIP median income

Income percentile ranks this city's average ZIP median household income against 25,278 US cities with ACS income on at least one ZIP. Scale and ZIP-spread words come from Census population and USPS ZIP coverage.

Below-median income with few delivery areas (1): read cost-of-living from the primary ZIP. Household income $70,392 and poverty 7.9% concentrate in 28741.

Owner-occupancy sits in a mixed band (75.3%) - check the ZIP page's tenure split before treating Highlands as a pure owner town.

Within North Carolina, Newport is the closest lower-income city and Balsam Grove the closest higher-income city by average ZIP household income. Their 1 and 1 ZIP footprints are the immediate statewide comparison set for Highlands.

Population concentration

One ZIP, 28741, is all of Highlands

There is no split to weigh here: 28741 holds every one of Highlands's 3,197 ACS residents. City-level and ZIP-level numbers on this site are the same number twice, check the ZIP page for the income/tenure/commute breakdown.

Census ZBP business roll-up

Dense ZBP book packed into Highlands's one ZIP

Citywide ZBP: 317 establishments, 2,434 employees , annual payroll $126,132k (~99 establishments per 1,000 residents) across 1 of 1 ZIPs. Peak business ZIP 28741 (317 units) ; leading NAICS Retail trade (75) · also Construction · Accommodation and food services .

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ZIP Codes in Highlands, NC

These ZIP codes sit in Macon County, which covers 5 ZIP codes in all; 1 of them fall in Highlands. See the Macon County roll-up →

Highlands sits in the upper half of Macon County on income: Franklin and Topton report less, while Otto reports more. Franklin marks the far end of that range at $54,021, 23% below Highlands.

ZIP Code Population Median income Establishments Density
28741 3,197 $70,392 317 14

Highlands roll-ups here are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial or relocation advice. ACS and Census ZBP figures are estimates; confirm the current table against Census before a money or move decision involving Highlands, .