Rutherfordton, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28139

Rutherford County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

20,111
44/sq mi
$56,558
Median income
$240,200
Median home value
25.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Rutherfordton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

23th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
44
people per sq mi
79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28139 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28139 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 453.0 square miles in Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, North Carolina. The area is home to 20,111 residents, producing a population density of 44 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 28139 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28139 sits at $56,558 (18% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $33,008. The poverty rate stands at 15.4% and the unemployment rate at 4.5%. On housing, the median home value is $240,200 (7% below the state average) with median rent at $818 per month, and 78.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28139 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 25.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.6, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Rutherford County, so you can benchmark 28139 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 28139

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28139.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28139, Rutherfordton, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

20,111

Population

453.0

Area (sq mi)

44

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 28139?

47.6

Median Age

47.9%

Male

52.1%

Female

3.6%

Foreign-Born

White 84.0%
African American 5.8%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.7%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$56,558

Median Household Income

-18% vs state

$33,008

Per Capita Income

15.4%

Poverty Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

26.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28139 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$56,558 23rd percentile higher than 23% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 53.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

9,103

Total Housing Units

8,124

Occupied Units

979

Vacant Units

2.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.6%
Renter 21.4%

$240,200

Median Home Value

-7% vs state

$818

Median Rent

1990

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+16.0%

YoY Change (2024)

274

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+174%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28139 have increased 16.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +174% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.8% 164
2021 +13.5% 187
2022 +16.9% 218
2023 +8.4% 236
2024 +16.0% 274

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 364 business establishments in ZIP 28139, employing approximately 4,410 people with a combined annual payroll of $204,742,000.

364

Businesses

4,410

Employees

$204.7M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 58 15.9%
Construction 55 15.1%
Health care and social assistance 38 10.4%
Retail trade 37 10.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 32 8.8%
Manufacturing 24 6.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 5.8%
Accommodation and food services 21 5.8%
Wholesale trade 16 4.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 3.9%
Finance and insurance 13 3.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 10 2.8%
Educational services 6 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.4%
Transportation and warehousing 4 1.1%
Information 4 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 28139 vs 28160 →

ZIP 28139 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28139 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28139 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28139 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
28160 Spindale, NC 3,929 4.0 mi
28043 Forest City, NC 21,055 7.4 mi
28722 Columbus, NC 6,371 10.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Rutherford County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28139 in?
ZIP code 28139 (Rutherfordton) is located in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Rutherford County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rutherford-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28139?
ZIP code 28139 in Rutherfordton, NC has a population of 20,111 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28139?
The median household income in ZIP 28139 is $56,558, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28139?
The median home value in ZIP 28139 is $240,200, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28139?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28139 is White at 84.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28139?
ZIP code 28139 has 364 business establishments employing approximately 4,410 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28139?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28139 are: Other services (except public administration) (58), Construction (55), Health care and social assistance (38). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28139?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28139 increased by 16.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 174%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28139?
In ZIP code 28139, 53.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28139?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28139 is 26.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28139?
In ZIP code 28139, approximately 78.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28139?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28139 is 15.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Rutherfordton, NC

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.