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 Moderate-density area
- $66,410
- Median income Near-median income area
- $196,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Old Fort pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 41st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 42nd 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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28762 (Old Fort, NC) rose +11.3% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 28762 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Old Fort, McDowell County, North Carolina, home to 6,857 residents across 258.8 square miles, a density of 27 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28762 reports a modest median household income of $66,410 (4% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,755. The poverty rate is 14.6%, with unemployment at 9.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $196,600 (24% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $793; owner occupancy is 77.1%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.4, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in McDowell County, so 28762 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 28762
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Old Fort, NC
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$34,755
Per Capita Income
14.6%
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Unemployment Rate
25.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28762 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Old Fort, 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)
$66,410 Top 46% higher than 54% 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
3,425housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28762, 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 (6,857 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in McDowell County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28762 in?
ZIP code 28762 (Old Fort) is located in McDowell County, North Carolina. McDowell County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mcdowell-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28762?
ZIP code 28762 in Old Fort, NC has a population of 6,857 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28762?
The median household income in ZIP 28762 is $66,410, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28762?
The median home value in ZIP 28762 is $196,600, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28762?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28762 is White at 92.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28762?
ZIP code 28762 has 106 business establishments employing approximately 1,652 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28762?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28762 are: Other services (except public administration) (19), Construction (16), Manufacturing (13). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28762?
In ZIP code 28762, 58.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.1% 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 28762?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28762 is 25.1 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 28762?
In ZIP code 28762, approximately 77.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28762?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28762 is 14.6% 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 28762's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28762 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Old Fort, 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.