PlainZIP

Canton, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28716

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

17,477
43/sq mi
$63,141
Median income
$237,800
Median home value
23.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Canton pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

35th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 46%
home value, US ZIPs
43
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28716 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28716 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Canton, Haywood County, North Carolina, home to 17,477 residents across 409.3 square miles, a density of 43 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28716 reports a modest median household income of $63,141 (9% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $34,474. Poverty here runs at 16.5%, with unemployment measured at 4.0%. The typical home here is valued at $237,800 (8% below the state average); renters pay a median of $988 monthly, and 76.4% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.6, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 28716 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 5 additional ZIPs in Haywood County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 28716

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Canton, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28716.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28716, Canton, 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

17,477

Population

409.3

Area (sq mi)

43

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 28716?

43.6

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 92.0%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%

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?

$63,141

Median Household Income

-9% vs state

$34,474

Per Capita Income

16.5%

Poverty Rate

4.0%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28716 ranks nationally

Canton, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,141 35th percentile higher than 35% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 55.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.1%

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

What does housing look like?

8,724

Total Housing Units

7,297

Occupied Units

1,427

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.4%
Renter 23.6%

$237,800

Median Home Value

-8% vs state

$988

Median Rent

1975

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

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

-3.5%

YoY Change (2024)

276

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+176%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28716 have decreased 3.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +176% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.2% 185
2021 +15.7% 214
2022 +15.4% 247
2023 +16.1% 286
2024 -3.5% 276

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 308 business establishments in ZIP 28716, employing approximately 4,208 people with a combined annual payroll of $207,587,000.

308

Businesses

4,208

Employees

$207.6M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 54 17.5%
Other services (except public administration) 51 16.6%
Retail trade 38 12.3%
Accommodation and food services 37 12.0%
Health care and social assistance 23 7.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 22 7.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 15 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 4.5%
Finance and insurance 13 4.2%
Wholesale trade 12 3.9%
Manufacturing 10 3.3%
Transportation and warehousing 5 1.6%
Information 5 1.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 1.0%
Educational services 3 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.0%

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 28716 vs 28786 →

ZIP 28716 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 28716 ranks #3 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 28716 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 28716 ranks #3 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
28786 Waynesville, NC 20,714 7.6 mi
28745 Lake Junaluska, NC 551 8.7 mi
28715 Candler, NC 24,582 9.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Haywood County

28786 standard
Waynesville, NC
Pop: 20,714
28721 standard
Clyde, NC
Pop: 10,063
28785 standard
Waynesville, NC
Pop: 7,338
28751 standard
Maggie Valley, NC
Pop: 2,916
28745 standard
Lake Junaluska, NC
Pop: 551

Related Areas

Haywood County Canton, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28716 in? ▼
ZIP code 28716 (Canton) is located in Haywood County, North Carolina. Haywood County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/haywood-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28716? ▼
ZIP code 28716 in Canton, NC has a population of 17,477 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28716? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28716 is $63,141, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28716? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28716 is $237,800, which is 15% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28716? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28716 is White at 92.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28716? ▼
ZIP code 28716 has 308 business establishments employing approximately 4,208 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28716? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28716 are: Construction (54), Other services (except public administration) (51), Retail trade (38). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28716? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28716 decreased by 3.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 176%. 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 28716? ▼
In ZIP code 28716, 55.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.1% 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 28716? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28716 is 24.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28716? ▼
In ZIP code 28716, approximately 76.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28716? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28716 is 16.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.