Spruce Pine, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28777
Mitchell County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,638
- 60/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $63,378
- Median income Near-median income area
- $228,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 19.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Spruce Pine pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 35th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 48%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 60
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28777 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 28777 (Spruce Pine, NC) fell -11.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 267.1 in 2023 to 237.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28777 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Spruce Pine, Mitchell County, North Carolina, home to 10,638 residents across 176.7 square miles, a density of 60 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28777 reports a modest median household income of $63,378 (8% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,661. The poverty rate is 12.5%, with unemployment at 5.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $228,400 (12% below the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $739; 76.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.6, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 1 more in Mitchell County, so 28777 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 28777
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Spruce Pine, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28777.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
46 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
42 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
41 establishments
- Construction
Construction
30 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
29 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 28777, Spruce Pine, 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
10,638
Population
176.7
Area (sq mi)
60
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28777?
46.6
Median Age
57.6%
Male
42.4%
Female
5.3%
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?
$63,378
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$30,661
Per Capita Income
12.5%
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Unemployment Rate
24.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28777 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Spruce Pine, 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)
$63,378 47th percentile higher than 47% 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
5,093housing units
5,093
Total Housing Units
3,989
Occupied Units
1,104
Vacant Units
2.18
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$228,400
Median Home Value
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$739
Median Rent
1980
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
-11.1%
YoY Change (2024)
237
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+137%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28777 have decreased 11.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +9.7% | 157 |
| 2021 | +17.9% | 185 |
| 2022 | +16.4% | 215 |
| 2023 | +23.9% | 267 |
| 2024 | -11.1% | 237 |
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 286 business establishments in ZIP 28777, employing approximately 3,777 people with a combined annual payroll of $175,295,000.
286
Businesses
3,777
Employees
$175.3M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 46 | 16.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 42 | 14.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 41 | 14.3% |
| Construction | 30 | 10.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 29 | 10.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 20 | 7.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 13 | 4.5% |
| Manufacturing | 11 | 3.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 3.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 9 | 3.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 9 | 3.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 2.5% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 5 | 1.8% |
| Information | 5 | 1.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 1.1% |
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 28777 vs 28749 →
ZIP 28777 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28777
Spruce Pine (28777)
10,638 residents
- 28657
Newland (28657)
9,488 residents
- 28705
Bakersville (28705)
6,715 residents
- 28616 493
Crossnore (28616)
493 residents
- 28647 89
Linville Falls (28647)
89 residents
- 28749 50
Little Switzerland (28749)
50 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28777 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28777 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28777
Spruce Pine (28777)
$63,378 median income
- 28657
Newland (28657)
$59,702 median income
- 28705
Bakersville (28705)
$54,858 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28777 ranks the highest 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 28777, 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 (10,638 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Mitchell County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28777 in?
ZIP code 28777 (Spruce Pine) is located in Mitchell County, North Carolina. Mitchell County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mitchell-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28777?
ZIP code 28777 in Spruce Pine, NC has a population of 10,638 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28777?
The median household income in ZIP 28777 is $63,378, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28777?
The median home value in ZIP 28777 is $228,400, which is 18% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28777?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28777 is White at 83.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28777?
ZIP code 28777 has 286 business establishments employing approximately 3,777 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28777?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28777 are: Retail trade (46), Other services (except public administration) (42), Health care and social assistance (41). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28777?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28777 decreased by 11.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 28777?
In ZIP code 28777, 56.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.7% 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 28777?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28777 is 24.3 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 28777?
In ZIP code 28777, approximately 76.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28777?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28777 is 12.5% 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 28777's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28777 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Spruce Pine, 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.