Old Fort, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28762
McDowell County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,857
- 27/sq mi
- $66,410
- Median income
- $196,600
- Median home value
- 21.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Old Fort pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 41th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 42th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 27
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28762 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28762 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 258.8 square miles in Old Fort, McDowell County, North Carolina. The area is home to 6,857 residents, producing a population density of 27 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 28762 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28762 sits at $66,410 (4% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $34,755. The poverty rate stands at 14.6% and the unemployment rate at 9.4%. On housing, the median home value is $196,600 (24% below the state average) with median rent at $793 per month, and 77.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28762 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 21.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.4, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 additional ZIPs sharing McDowell County, so you can benchmark 28762 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 28762
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28762.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
19 establishments
- Construction
Construction
16 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
13 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
11 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
10 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28762, Old Fort, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
6,857
Population
258.8
Area (sq mi)
27
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28762?
52.4
Median Age
51.2%
Male
48.8%
Female
2.3%
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?
$66,410
Median Household Income
-4% vs state
$34,755
Per Capita Income
14.6%
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Unemployment Rate
25.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28762 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$66,410 41st percentile higher than 41% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
3,425
Total Housing Units
2,978
Occupied Units
447
Vacant Units
2.19
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$196,600
Median Home Value
-24% vs state
$793
Median Rent
1983
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 106 business establishments in ZIP 28762, employing approximately 1,652 people with a combined annual payroll of $77,598,000.
106
Businesses
1,652
Employees
$77.6M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 19 | 17.9% |
| Construction | 16 | 15.1% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 12.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 11 | 10.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 10 | 9.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 7.5% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 5.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 5.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 4.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 4.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 2.8% |
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 28762 vs 28757 →
ZIP 28762 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28711
Black Mountain (28711)
13,209 residents
- 28762
Old Fort (28762)
6,857 residents
- 28757 280
Montreat (28757)
280 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28762 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28762 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28757
Montreat (28757)
$115,568 median income
- 28711
Black Mountain (28711)
$74,761 median income
- 28762
Old Fort (28762)
$66,410 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28762 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in McDowell County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28762 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28762? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28762? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28762? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28762? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28762? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28762? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28762? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28762? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28762? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Old Fort, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.