PlainZIP

Sylva, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28779

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

16,111
58/sq mi
$57,727
Median income
$243,700
Median home value
27.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

25th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 44%
home value, US ZIPs
58
people per sq mi
63%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28779 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28779 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sylva, Jackson County, North Carolina, home to 16,111 residents across 277.8 square miles, a density of 58 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28779 reports a modest median household income of $57,727 (17% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $32,438. Local economic indicators show a 15.2% poverty rate alongside 2.6% unemployment. Housing costs here run $243,700 for a typical home value (6% below the state average), with rent averaging $827 a month; 63.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.4, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Jackson County, so you can benchmark 28779 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 28779

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sylva, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28779.

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 28779, Sylva, 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

16,111

Population

277.8

Area (sq mi)

58

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 28779?

42.4

Median Age

48.9%

Male

51.1%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 86.6%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 3.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%

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?

$57,727

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$32,438

Per Capita Income

15.2%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

21.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28779 ranks nationally

Sylva, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$57,727 25th percentile higher than 25% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 56.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.9%

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

What does housing look like?

9,692

Total Housing Units

8,295

Occupied Units

1,397

Vacant Units

2.15

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.4%
Renter 36.6%

$243,700

Median Home Value

-6% vs state

$827

Median Rent

1985

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

+6.5%

YoY Change (2024)

268

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+168%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28779 have increased 6.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.5% 166
2021 +11.8% 186
2022 +19.8% 223
2023 +13.2% 252
2024 +6.5% 268

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 545 business establishments in ZIP 28779, employing approximately 5,772 people with a combined annual payroll of $237,163,000.

545

Businesses

5,772

Employees

$237.2M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 96 17.6%
Health care and social assistance 93 17.1%
Other services (except public administration) 63 11.6%
Accommodation and food services 62 11.4%
Construction 54 9.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 45 8.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 27 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 4.8%
Finance and insurance 18 3.3%
Wholesale trade 14 2.6%
Manufacturing 11 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 9 1.6%
Information 9 1.6%
Educational services 4 0.7%
Utilities 3 0.6%

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 28779 vs 28725 →

ZIP 28779 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 28779 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28779 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 28779 ranks #3 of 5 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
28725 Dillsboro, NC 43 3.0 mi
28789 Whittier, NC 5,097 6.9 mi
28723 Cullowhee, NC 11,329 7.2 mi
28707 Balsam, NC 94 8.7 mi
28751 Maggie Valley, NC 2,916 11.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Jackson County

28723 standard
Cullowhee, NC
Pop: 11,329
28789 standard
Whittier, NC
Pop: 5,097
28717 standard
Cashiers, NC
Pop: 1,729
28783 standard
Tuckasegee, NC
Pop: 1,593
28736 standard
Glenville, NC
Pop: 787
28707 standard
Balsam, NC
Pop: 94

Related Areas

Jackson County Sylva, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28779 in? ▼
ZIP code 28779 (Sylva) is located in Jackson County, North Carolina. Jackson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/jackson-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28779? ▼
ZIP code 28779 in Sylva, NC has a population of 16,111 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28779? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28779 is $57,727, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28779? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28779 is $243,700, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28779? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28779 is White at 86.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28779? ▼
ZIP code 28779 has 545 business establishments employing approximately 5,772 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28779? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28779 are: Retail trade (96), Health care and social assistance (93), Other services (except public administration) (63). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28779? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28779 increased by 6.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 168%. 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 28779? ▼
In ZIP code 28779, 56.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.9% 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 28779? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28779 is 21.0 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 28779? ▼
In ZIP code 28779, approximately 63.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28779? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28779 is 15.2% 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.