PlainZIP

Pisgah Forest, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28768

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

6,813
32/sq mi
$71,383
Median income
$341,400
Median home value
40.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Pisgah Forest pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 28%
home value, US ZIPs
32
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28768 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28768 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Pisgah Forest, Transylvania County, North Carolina, home to 6,813 residents across 214.9 square miles, a density of 32 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28768 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,383 (3% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $36,651. 14.4% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.1%. On housing, the median home value is $341,400 (32% above the state average) with median rent at $852 per month, and 85.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 40.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.5, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 28768 in local context, 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Transylvania 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 28768

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Pisgah Forest, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28768.

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 28768, Pisgah Forest, 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

6,813

Population

214.9

Area (sq mi)

32

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 28768?

52.5

Median Age

54.3%

Male

45.7%

Female

8.8%

Foreign-Born

White 85.6%
African American 1.3%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.9%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%

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?

$71,383

Median Household Income

+3% vs state

$36,651

Per Capita Income

14.4%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

23.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28768 ranks nationally

Pisgah Forest, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,383 49th percentile higher than 49% 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 69.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 40.5%

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

What does housing look like?

3,550

Total Housing Units

2,736

Occupied Units

814

Vacant Units

2.47

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.5%
Renter 14.5%

$341,400

Median Home Value

+32% vs state

$852

Median Rent

1984

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

+18.6%

YoY Change (2024)

253

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+153%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28768 have increased 18.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +153% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.2% 167
2021 +10.3% 184
2022 +18.0% 217
2023 -1.5% 213
2024 +18.6% 253

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 168 business establishments in ZIP 28768, employing approximately 1,210 people with a combined annual payroll of $44,159,000.

168

Businesses

1,210

Employees

$44.2M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 30 17.9%
Other services (except public administration) 21 12.5%
Retail trade 20 11.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 20 11.9%
Accommodation and food services 18 10.7%
Health care and social assistance 14 8.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 7.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 9 5.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 4.2%
Finance and insurance 5 3.0%
Wholesale trade 4 2.4%
Manufacturing 3 1.8%
Educational services 3 1.8%

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 28768 vs 28729 →

ZIP 28768 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 28768 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 28768 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 28768 ranks #5 of 7 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
28729 Etowah, NC 2,894 6.1 mi
28766 Penrose, NC 1,262 6.2 mi
28742 Horse Shoe, NC 2,710 6.9 mi
28712 Brevard, NC 19,347 9.9 mi
28759 Mills River, NC 6,922 8.8 mi
28718 Cedar Mountain, NC 553 10.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Transylvania County

28712 standard
Brevard, NC
Pop: 19,347
28747 standard
Lake Toxaway, NC
Pop: 2,198
28766 standard
Penrose, NC
Pop: 1,262
28772 standard
Rosman, NC
Pop: 1,239
28774 standard
Sapphire, NC
Pop: 1,013
28708 standard
Balsam Grove, NC
Pop: 754

Related Areas

Transylvania County Pisgah Forest, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28768 in? ▼
ZIP code 28768 (Pisgah Forest) is located in Transylvania County, North Carolina. Transylvania County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/transylvania-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28768? ▼
ZIP code 28768 in Pisgah Forest, NC has a population of 6,813 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28768? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28768 is $71,383, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28768? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28768 is $341,400, which is 23% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28768? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28768 is White at 85.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28768? ▼
ZIP code 28768 has 168 business establishments employing approximately 1,210 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28768? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28768 are: Construction (30), Other services (except public administration) (21), Retail trade (20). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28768? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28768 increased by 18.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 153%. 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 28768? ▼
In ZIP code 28768, 69.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 40.5% 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 28768? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28768 is 23.8 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 28768? ▼
In ZIP code 28768, approximately 85.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28768? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28768 is 14.4% 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.