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.

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 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

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 28439?

44.6

Median Age

52.4%

Male

47.6%

Female

5.1%

Foreign-Born

White 45.3%
African American 40.7%
Asian 6.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.7%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 0.3%

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

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 50.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.8%

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

Owner 58.4%
Renter 41.6%

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28439 ranks #6 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 28439 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 28439 ranks #6 of 6 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
28430 Cerro Gordo, NC 1,900 4.3 mi
28369 Orrum, NC 2,652 8.8 mi
29545 Green Sea, SC 1,657 9.5 mi
29581 Nichols, SC 4,650 8.9 mi
28438 Evergreen, NC 1,845 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Columbus County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28439 in?
ZIP code 28439 (Fair Bluff) is located in Columbus County, North Carolina. Columbus County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/columbus-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28439?
ZIP code 28439 in Fair Bluff, NC has a population of 1,595 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28439?
The median household income in ZIP 28439 is $32,361, which is 58% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28439?
The median home value in ZIP 28439 is $112,700, which is 59% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28439?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28439 is White at 45.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28439?
ZIP code 28439 has 21 business establishments employing approximately 214 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28439?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28439 are: Manufacturing (4), Retail trade (4), Other services (except public administration) (4). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28439?
In ZIP code 28439, 50.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28439?
In ZIP code 28439, approximately 58.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 41.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28439?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28439 is 31.4% 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 Fair Bluff, NC

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