Cherokee, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28719
Swain County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,048
- 23/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $60,658
- Median income Below-median income area
- $188,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 17.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cherokee pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 30th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 40th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 23
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28719 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28719 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cherokee, Swain County, North Carolina, home to 8,048 residents across 349.9 square miles, a density of 23 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28719 reports a modest median household income of $60,658 (12% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $27,051. The poverty rate is 17.7%, with unemployment at 9.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $188,400 (27% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $892; owner occupancy is 73.5%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.5, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 1 more in Swain County, so 28719 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 28719
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cherokee, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28719.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
47 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
46 establishments
- Construction 7
Construction
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 7
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 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 28719, Cherokee, 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
8,048
Population
349.9
Area (sq mi)
23
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28719?
36.5
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
4.7%
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?
$60,658
Median Household Income
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$27,051
Per Capita Income
17.7%
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28719 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Cherokee, 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)
$60,658 40th percentile higher than 40% 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
3,215housing units
3,215
Total Housing Units
2,820
Occupied Units
395
Vacant Units
2.35
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$188,400
Median Home Value
-27% vs state ZIP avg
$892
Median Rent
1988
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 138 business establishments in ZIP 28719, employing approximately 5,110 people with a combined annual payroll of $234,876,000.
138
Businesses
5,110
Employees
$234.9M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 47 | 34.1% |
| Retail trade | 46 | 33.3% |
| Construction | 7 | 5.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 5.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 4.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 4.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 6 | 4.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 3.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 2.2% |
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 28719 vs 28789 →
ZIP 28719 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28719
Cherokee (28719)
8,048 residents
- 28789
Whittier (28789)
5,097 residents
- 28725 43
Dillsboro (28725)
43 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28719 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28719 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28719
Cherokee (28719)
$60,658 median income
- 28725
Dillsboro (28725)
$57,750 median income
- 28789
Whittier (28789)
$51,713 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28719 ranks the highest of 3 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 28719, 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 (8,048 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Swain County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28719 in?
ZIP code 28719 (Cherokee) is located in Swain County, North Carolina. Swain County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/swain-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28719?
ZIP code 28719 in Cherokee, NC has a population of 8,048 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28719?
The median household income in ZIP 28719 is $60,658, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28719?
The median home value in ZIP 28719 is $188,400, which is 32% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28719?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28719 is American Indian or Alaska Native at 74.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28719?
ZIP code 28719 has 138 business establishments employing approximately 5,110 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28719?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28719 are: Accommodation and food services (47), Retail trade (46), Construction (7). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28719?
In ZIP code 28719, 57.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.7% 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 28719?
In ZIP code 28719, approximately 73.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28719?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28719 is 17.7% 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 28719's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28719 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cherokee, 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.