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County ZIP codes · North Carolina · FIPS 37161

Rutherford County, NC ZIP Codes

Rutherford County, North Carolina has 16 ZIP codes (Census 2020 ZCTA-county file; GeoNames postal codes, October 2026), all residential. 12 of the residential ones lie mainly in Rutherford County and 4 mainly in a neighboring county; 7 cross the county line. Median household income ranges from $40,868 in 28160 (Spindale) to $74,761 in 28711 (Black Mountain) (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024).

  • ACS2020-24
  • Census2020

Where are the ZIP codes of Rutherford County?

28018 · Bostic: $51k28019 · Caroleen: –28020 · Casar: $60k28024 · Cliffside: –28040 · Ellenboro: $59k28043 · Forest City: $42k28074 · Harris: –28076 · Henrietta: –28114 · Mooresboro: $61k28139 · Rutherfordton: $57k28160 · Spindale: $41k28167 · Union Mills: $60k28711 · Black Mountain: $75k28720 · Chimney Rock: $63k28746 · Lake Lure: $71k28756 · Mill Spring: $64k28139287112801828167281142875628040280432874628020287202816028018 · Bostic: $51k28019 · Caroleen: –28020 · Casar: $60k28024 · Cliffside: –28040 · Ellenboro: $59k28043 · Forest City: $42k28074 · Harris: –28076 · Henrietta: –28114 · Mooresboro: $61k28139 · Rutherfordton: $57k28160 · Spindale: $41k28167 · Union Mills: $60k28711 · Black Mountain: $75k28720 · Chimney Rock: $63k28746 · Lake Lure: $71k28756 · Mill Spring: $64k281392871128018281672811428756280402804328746280202872028018 · Bostic: $51k28019 · Caroleen: –28020 · Casar: $60k28024 · Cliffside: –28040 · Ellenboro: $59k28043 · Forest City: $42k28074 · Harris: –28076 · Henrietta: –28114 · Mooresboro: $61k28139 · Rutherfordton: $57k28160 · Spindale: $41k28167 · Union Mills: $60k28711 · Black Mountain: $75k28720 · Chimney Rock: $63k28746 · Lake Lure: $71k28756 · Mill Spring: $64k28139287112801828167281142875628040280432874628020
The residential ZIP codes of Rutherford County (whole outlines, including the parts in neighboring counties), shaded by median household income in national fifths (ACS 2020-2024). <$54.1k$98.1k+no figure

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries; ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B19013).

How different are its ZIP codes?

The middle half of its ranked ZIP codes (1,000+ people living in households) report median household incomes between $50,727 and $63,663.

They carry 16 postal town names.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B19013).

All 16 residential ZIP codes in Rutherford County

12 ZIP codes lie mainly in Rutherford County; 4 more reach into it from a neighboring county and follow the first table.

Residential ZIP codes mainly in Rutherford County, largest first; "In this county" is the share of the ZIP's land in the county
In this county
28043 Forest City 20,930 316 $42k $175k 100%
28139 Rutherfordton 20,008 110 $57k $240k 87%
28040 Ellenboro 6,961 103 $59k $170k 96%
28018 Bostic 5,034 51 $51k $169k 100%
28160 Spindale 3,665 666 $41k $164k 100%
28746 Lake Lure 2,744 61 $71k $471k 100%
28167 Union Mills 2,253 31 $60k $235k 93%
28720 Chimney Rock 138 15 $63k $446k 100%
28076 Henrietta 105 100 – – 100%
28024 Cliffside 31 109 – – 100%
28074 Harris 15 122 – – 100%
28019 Caroleen no residents 0 – – 100%

Partly in Rutherford County

Residential ZIP codes mainly in another county that reach at least 1% into Rutherford County, by their share here
In this county
28114 Mooresboro 7,104 108 $61k $151k 46%
28020 Casar 2,240 48 $60k $189k 13%
28711 Black Mountain 12,663 122 $75k $370k 9%
28756 Mill Spring 4,706 59 $64k $278k 1%

Download the 16 ZIP codes as CSV

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; county shares by land area (Census 2020 ZCTA-county relationship file).

Which ZIP codes cross the county line?

7 ZIP codes of Rutherford County extend into another county. A ZIP code follows mail routes, not county borders.

Share of each ZIP code's land in Rutherford County and in the neighboring counties
ZIPIn RutherfordElsewhere
2813987%Polk County 13%
287119%Buncombe County 79%; McDowell County 11%
2811446%Cleveland County 54%
2804096%Cleveland County 4%
287561%Polk County 99%
2816793%McDowell County 7%
2802013%Cleveland County 87%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA-county relationship file (shares of land area).

Which first three digits do Rutherford County's ZIP codes use?

The first three digits of a ZIP code name the sectional center, the mail processing plant that sorts it. Rutherford County's ZIP codes use 3 prefixes: 280, 281 and 287.

Three-digit prefixes of Rutherford County's ZIP codes, the sectional center for each (USPS labeling list L005, effective October 1, 2026) and how many of the prefix's codes are Rutherford County's
PrefixSectional centerHereAll codes
280 Charlotte, NC (SCF 282) 8 59
281 Charlotte, NC (SCF 282) 4 50
287 Greenville, SC (SCF 296) 4 87

Source: U.S. Postal Service, labeling list L005 (3-digit ZIP Code prefix groups, SCF sortation), effective October 1, 2026.