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 Moderate-density area
- $32,361
- Median income Below-median income area
- $112,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
- 3rd 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 covers 62.5 square miles in Fair Bluff, Columbus County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,595 residents on file, a density of 26 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28439 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $32,361 (53% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,408. The poverty rate is 31.4%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $112,700 (57% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $756; owner occupancy is 58.4%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.6, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Columbus County, so 28439 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 28439
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fair Bluff, NC
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$25,408
Per Capita Income
31.4%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28439 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Fair Bluff, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$32,361 1st percentile higher than 1% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
642housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28439, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,595 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Columbus County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28439's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28439 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Fair Bluff, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.