Etowah, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28729
Henderson County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,894
- 255/sq mi High-density area
- $84,413
- Median income Above-median income area
- $321,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 32.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Etowah pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 33%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 30%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 255
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28729 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28729 (Etowah, NC) rose +7.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 279.0 in 2023 to 300.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28729 covers 11.3 square miles in Etowah, Henderson County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,894 residents on file, a density of 255 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28729 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $84,413 (22% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,287. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 4.2% and unemployment is 0.0%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $321,000 (24% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 87.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,714.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.9, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Henderson County, so 28729 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 28729
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Etowah, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28729.
- Construction
Construction
18 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
11 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
9 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
8 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 6
Accommodation and food 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 28729, Etowah, 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
2,894
Population
11.3
Area (sq mi)
255
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28729?
44.9
Median Age
55.9%
Male
44.1%
Female
5.5%
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?
$84,413
Median Household Income
+22% vs state ZIP avg
$39,287
Per Capita Income
4.2%
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28729 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Etowah, 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)
$84,413 Top 18% higher than 82% 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
1,533housing units
1,533
Total Housing Units
1,427
Occupied Units
106
Vacant Units
2.58
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$321,000
Median Home Value
+24% vs state ZIP avg
$1,714
Median Rent
1986
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
+7.7%
YoY Change (2024)
300
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+200%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28729 have increased 7.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +200% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.9% | 175 |
| 2021 | +16.2% | 204 |
| 2022 | +24.6% | 254 |
| 2023 | +9.9% | 279 |
| 2024 | +7.7% | 300 |
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 81 business establishments in ZIP 28729, employing approximately 603 people with a combined annual payroll of $22,328,000.
81
Businesses
603
Employees
$22.3M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 18 | 22.2% |
| Retail trade | 11 | 13.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 9 | 11.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 9.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 7.4% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 6.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 6.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 4.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 3.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 3.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 3.7% |
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 28729 vs 28742 →
ZIP 28729 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28739
Hendersonville (28739)
19,786 residents
- 28704
Arden (28704)
18,821 residents
- 28732
Fletcher (28732)
16,491 residents
- 28791
Hendersonville (28791)
14,171 residents
- 28759 6,922
Mills River (28759)
6,922 residents
- 28768 6,813
Pisgah Forest (28768)
6,813 residents
- 28790 3,205
Zirconia (28790)
3,205 residents
- 28729 2,894
Etowah (28729)
2,894 residents
- 28742 2,710
Horse Shoe (28742)
2,710 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28729 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28729 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28759
Mills River (28759)
$107,609 median income
- 28742
Horse Shoe (28742)
$99,007 median income
- 28790
Zirconia (28790)
$97,042 median income
- 28729
Etowah (28729)
$84,413 median income
- 28732
Fletcher (28732)
$81,852 median income
- 28704
Arden (28704)
$81,096 median income
- 28791
Hendersonville (28791)
$78,827 median income
- 28739
Hendersonville (28739)
$73,582 median income
- 28768
Pisgah Forest (28768)
$71,383 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28729 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28742 | Horse Shoe, NC | 2,710 | 4.1 mi |
| 28759 | Mills River, NC | 6,922 | 4.4 mi |
| 28766 | Penrose, NC | 1,262 | 4.9 mi |
| 28739 | Hendersonville, NC | 19,786 | 5.0 mi |
| 28768 | Pisgah Forest, NC | 6,813 | 6.1 mi |
| 28791 | Hendersonville, NC | 14,171 | 5.8 mi |
| 28704 | Arden, NC | 18,821 | 9.9 mi |
| 28790 | Zirconia, NC | 3,205 | 10.4 mi |
| 28732 | Fletcher, NC | 16,491 | 11.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28729, 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 (2,894 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Henderson County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28729 in?
ZIP code 28729 (Etowah) is located in Henderson County, North Carolina. Henderson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/henderson-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28729?
ZIP code 28729 in Etowah, NC has a population of 2,894 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28729?
The median household income in ZIP 28729 is $84,413, which is 11% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28729?
The median home value in ZIP 28729 is $321,000, which is 15% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28729?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28729 is White at 88.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28729?
ZIP code 28729 has 81 business establishments employing approximately 603 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28729?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28729 are: Construction (18), Retail trade (11), Other services (except public administration) (9). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28729?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28729 increased by 7.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 200%. 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 28729?
In ZIP code 28729, 57.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.8% 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 28729?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28729 is 25.5 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 28729?
In ZIP code 28729, approximately 87.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28729?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28729 is 4.2% 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 28729's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28729 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Etowah, 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.