PlainZIP

Lake Lure, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28746

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

2,388
20/sq mi
$70,469
Median income
$470,700
Median home value
46.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lake Lure pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

47th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
20
people per sq mi
89%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28746 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28746 covers 121.2 square miles in Lake Lure, Rutherford County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,388 residents on file, a density of 20 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28746 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,469 (2% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $57,878. Poverty here runs at 16.4%, with unemployment measured at 6.0%. On housing, the median home value is $470,700 (81% above the state average) with median rent at $892 per month, and 88.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 46.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 61, and the average commute is 37 minutes. To put 28746 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Rutherford 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 28746

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lake Lure, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28746.

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 28746, Lake Lure, 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

2,388

Population

121.2

Area (sq mi)

20

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 28746?

61.0

Median Age

44.2%

Male

55.8%

Female

3.4%

Foreign-Born

White 87.4%
African American 4.5%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%

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?

$70,469

Median Household Income

+2% vs state

$57,878

Per Capita Income

16.4%

Poverty Rate

6.0%

Unemployment Rate

37.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28746 ranks nationally

Lake Lure, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$70,469 47th percentile higher than 47% 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 64.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 46.2%

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

What does housing look like?

3,338

Total Housing Units

1,397

Occupied Units

1,941

Vacant Units

1.96

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.7%
Renter 11.3%

$470,700

Median Home Value

+81% vs state

$892

Median Rent

1991

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

-0.4%

YoY Change (2024)

222

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+122%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28746 have decreased 0.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +122% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.9% 160
2021 +13.7% 182
2022 +20.2% 219
2023 +1.7% 223
2024 -0.4% 222

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 80 business establishments in ZIP 28746, employing approximately 647 people with a combined annual payroll of $24,805,000.

80

Businesses

647

Employees

$24.8M

Annual Payroll

8

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 16 20.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 15.0%
Other services (except public administration) 12 15.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 11 13.8%
Construction 7 8.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 6.3%
Finance and insurance 3 3.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 3.8%

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 28746 vs 28720 →

ZIP 28746 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 28746 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 28746 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 28746 ranks #2 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
28720 Chimney Rock, NC 114 4.9 mi
28756 Mill Spring, NC 4,504 7.8 mi
28711 Black Mountain, NC 13,209 11.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Rutherford County

28043 standard
Forest City, NC
Pop: 21,055
28139 standard
Rutherfordton, NC
Pop: 20,111
28040 standard
Ellenboro, NC
Pop: 7,969
28114 standard
Mooresboro, NC
Pop: 7,554
28018 standard
Bostic, NC
Pop: 5,562
28160 standard
Spindale, NC
Pop: 3,929

Related Areas

Rutherford County Lake Lure, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28746 in? ▼
ZIP code 28746 (Lake Lure) is located in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Rutherford County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rutherford-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28746? ▼
ZIP code 28746 in Lake Lure, NC has a population of 2,388 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28746? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28746 is $70,469, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28746? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28746 is $470,700, which is 69% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28746? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28746 is White at 87.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28746? ▼
ZIP code 28746 has 80 business establishments employing approximately 647 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28746? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28746 are: Accommodation and food services (16), Real estate and rental and leasing (12), Other services (except public administration) (12). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28746? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28746 decreased by 0.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 122%. 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 28746? ▼
In ZIP code 28746, 64.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.2% 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 28746? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28746 is 37.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28746? ▼
In ZIP code 28746, approximately 88.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28746? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28746 is 16.4% 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.