Sapphire, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28774
Transylvania County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,013
- 9/sq mi Low-density area
- $154,635
- Median income Above-median income area
- $797,900
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 68.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sapphire pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 3%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 5%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 89%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28774 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28774 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sapphire, Transylvania County, North Carolina, home to just 1,013 residents across 117.8 square miles, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28774 skews affluent, with a median household income of $154,635 (124% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $83,680. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 3.2% and unemployment is 0.0%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $797,900 (207% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 88.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 68.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.2, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Transylvania County, so 28774 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 28774
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sapphire, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28774.
- Construction
Construction
16 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
12 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
7 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 28774, Sapphire, 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
1,013
Population
117.8
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28774?
63.2
Median Age
41.6%
Male
58.4%
Female
3.9%
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?
$154,635
Median Household Income
+124% vs state ZIP avg
$83,680
Per Capita Income
3.2%
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28774 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Sapphire, 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)
$154,635 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
2,859housing units
2,859
Total Housing Units
703
Occupied Units
2,156
Vacant Units
2.06
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$797,900
Median Home Value
+207% vs state ZIP avg
1996
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 66 business establishments in ZIP 28774, employing approximately 629 people with a combined annual payroll of $34,529,000.
66
Businesses
629
Employees
$34.5M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 16 | 24.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 18.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 12.1% |
| Retail trade | 7 | 10.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 10.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 7.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 4.5% |
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 28774 vs 28717 →
ZIP 28774 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28747
Lake Toxaway (28747)
2,198 residents
- 28717
Cashiers (28717)
1,729 residents
- 29685
Sunset (29685)
1,230 residents
- 28774
Sapphire (28774)
1,013 residents
- 28736 787
Glenville (28736)
787 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28774 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28774 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28774
Sapphire (28774)
$154,635 median income
- 29685
Sunset (29685)
$116,742 median income
- 28717
Cashiers (28717)
$76,085 median income
- 28736
Glenville (28736)
$70,855 median income
- 28747
Lake Toxaway (28747)
$66,000 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28774 ranks the highest of 5 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 28774, 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 (1,013 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Transylvania County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28774 in?
ZIP code 28774 (Sapphire) 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 28774?
ZIP code 28774 in Sapphire, NC has a population of 1,013 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28774?
The median household income in ZIP 28774 is $154,635, which is 103% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28774?
The median home value in ZIP 28774 is $797,900, which is 187% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28774?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28774 is White at 93.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28774?
ZIP code 28774 has 66 business establishments employing approximately 629 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28774?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28774 are: Construction (16), Accommodation and food services (12), Other services (except public administration) (8). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28774?
In ZIP code 28774, 80.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 68.3% 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 28774?
In ZIP code 28774, approximately 88.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28774?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28774 is 3.2% 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 28774's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28774 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sapphire, 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.