Fair Bluff, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28439
Columbus County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,595
- 26/sq mi
- $32,361
- Median income
- $112,700
- Median home value
- 12.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Fair Bluff pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 3th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 14th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 26
- people per sq mi
- 58%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28439 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28439 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 62.5 square miles in Fair Bluff, Columbus County, North Carolina. The area is home to 1,595 residents, producing a population density of 26 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 28439 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28439 sits at $32,361 (53% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $25,408. The poverty rate stands at 31.4% and the unemployment rate at 2.4%. On housing, the median home value is $112,700 (57% below the state average) with median rent at $756 per month, and 58.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28439 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 12.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.6, and the average commute is —. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Columbus County, so you can benchmark 28439 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 28439
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28439.
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
4 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
4 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 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, 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 28439, Fair Bluff, 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
1,595
Population
62.5
Area (sq mi)
26
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28439?
44.6
Median Age
52.4%
Male
47.6%
Female
5.1%
Foreign-Born
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?
$32,361
Median Household Income
-53% vs state
$25,408
Per Capita Income
31.4%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28439 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$32,361 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
642
Total Housing Units
488
Occupied Units
154
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$112,700
Median Home Value
-57% vs state
$756
Median Rent
1977
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 21 business establishments in ZIP 28439, employing approximately 214 people with a combined annual payroll of $8,228,000.
21
Businesses
214
Employees
$8.2M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4 | 19.1% |
| Retail trade | 4 | 19.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 19.1% |
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 28439 vs 28430 →
ZIP 28439 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29581
Nichols (29581)
4,650 residents
- 28369
Orrum (28369)
2,652 residents
- 28430
Cerro Gordo (28430)
1,900 residents
- 28438 1,845
Evergreen (28438)
1,845 residents
- 29545 1,657
Green Sea (29545)
1,657 residents
- 28439 1,595
Fair Bluff (28439)
1,595 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28439 ranks #6 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28439 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28430
Cerro Gordo (28430)
$68,356 median income
- 28438
Evergreen (28438)
$59,199 median income
- 29581
Nichols (29581)
$54,701 median income
- 29545
Green Sea (29545)
$42,083 median income
- 28369
Orrum (28369)
$40,000 median income
- 28439
Fair Bluff (28439)
$32,361 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28439 ranks #6 of 6 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Columbus County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28439 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28439? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28439? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28439? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28439? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28439? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28439? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28439? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28439? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28439? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Fair Bluff, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.