Horse Shoe, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28742
Henderson County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,710
- 43/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $99,007
- Median income Above-median income area
- $414,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 46.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Horse Shoe pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 20%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 19%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 43
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28742 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 28742 (Horse Shoe, NC) rose +4.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 278.1 in 2023 to 289.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28742 covers 63.5 square miles in Horse Shoe, Henderson County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,710 residents on file, a density of 43 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28742 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $99,007 (43% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $45,313. Unemployment is 14.1%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $414,600 (60% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 79.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 46.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Henderson County, so 28742 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 28742
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Horse Shoe, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28742.
- Construction
Construction
15 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
11 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
7 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
6 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
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 28742, Horse Shoe, 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
2,710
Population
63.5
Area (sq mi)
43
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28742?
47.7
Median Age
51.5%
Male
48.5%
Female
1.8%
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?
$99,007
Median Household Income
+43% vs state ZIP avg
$45,313
Per Capita Income
13.6%
Poverty Rate
14.1%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28742 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Horse Shoe, 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)
$99,007 Top 10% higher than 90% 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
1,210housing units
1,210
Total Housing Units
1,123
Occupied Units
87
Vacant Units
2.41
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$414,600
Median Home Value
+60% vs state ZIP avg
1989
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
+4.1%
YoY Change (2024)
290
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+190%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28742 have increased 4.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +190% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.7% | 175 |
| 2021 | +9.6% | 192 |
| 2022 | +20.3% | 231 |
| 2023 | +20.2% | 278 |
| 2024 | +4.1% | 290 |
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 67 business establishments in ZIP 28742, employing approximately 510 people with a combined annual payroll of $23,846,000.
67
Businesses
510
Employees
$23.8M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 15 | 22.4% |
| Retail trade | 11 | 16.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 6 | 9.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 9.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 9.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6 | 9.0% |
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 28742 vs 28759 →
ZIP 28742 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28715
Candler (28715)
24,582 residents
- 28739
Hendersonville (28739)
19,786 residents
- 28704
Arden (28704)
18,821 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
- 28729 2,894
Etowah (28729)
2,894 residents
- 28742 2,710
Horse Shoe (28742)
2,710 residents
- 28766 1,262
Penrose (28766)
1,262 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28742 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28742 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
- 28729
Etowah (28729)
$84,413 median income
- 28704
Arden (28704)
$81,096 median income
- 28791
Hendersonville (28791)
$78,827 median income
- 28739
Hendersonville (28739)
$73,582 median income
- 28715
Candler (28715)
$71,716 median income
- 28768
Pisgah Forest (28768)
$71,383 median income
- 28766
Penrose (28766)
$57,708 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28742 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28759 | Mills River, NC | 6,922 | 2.3 mi |
| 28729 | Etowah, NC | 2,894 | 4.1 mi |
| 28766 | Penrose, NC | 1,262 | 8.6 mi |
| 28704 | Arden, NC | 18,821 | 6.5 mi |
| 28791 | Hendersonville, NC | 14,171 | 6.7 mi |
| 28768 | Pisgah Forest, NC | 6,813 | 6.9 mi |
| 28739 | Hendersonville, NC | 19,786 | 8.9 mi |
| 28715 | Candler, NC | 24,582 | 10.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28742, 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 (2,710 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 28742 in?
ZIP code 28742 (Horse Shoe) 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 28742?
ZIP code 28742 in Horse Shoe, NC has a population of 2,710 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28742?
The median household income in ZIP 28742 is $99,007, which is 30% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28742?
The median home value in ZIP 28742 is $414,600, which is 49% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28742?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28742 is White at 90.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28742?
ZIP code 28742 has 67 business establishments employing approximately 510 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28742?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28742 are: Construction (15), Retail trade (11), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (7). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28742?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28742 increased by 4.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 190%. 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 28742?
In ZIP code 28742, 62.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.4% 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 28742?
In ZIP code 28742, approximately 79.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28742?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28742 is 13.6% 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 28742's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28742 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Horse Shoe, 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.