PlainZIP

Murphy, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28906

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

18,475
21/sq mi
$55,759
Median income
$250,300
Median home value
25.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Murphy pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

22th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 42%
home value, US ZIPs
21
people per sq mi
84%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28906 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28906 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Murphy, Cherokee County, North Carolina, home to 18,475 residents across 863.3 square miles, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28906 reports a modest median household income of $55,759 (19% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $32,506. The poverty rate stands at 11.6% and the unemployment rate at 3.9%. Housing costs here run $250,300 for a typical home value (4% below the state average), with rent averaging $797 a month; 84.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 28906 sits relative to North Carolina and the national baseline rather than viewing the numbers in isolation.

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 28906

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Murphy, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28906.

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 28906, Murphy, 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

18,475

Population

863.3

Area (sq mi)

21

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 28906?

56.5

Median Age

49.9%

Male

50.1%

Female

1.2%

Foreign-Born

White 91.7%
African American 1.5%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%

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?

$55,759

Median Household Income

-19% vs state

$32,506

Per Capita Income

11.6%

Poverty Rate

3.9%

Unemployment Rate

26.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28906 ranks nationally

Murphy, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$55,759 22nd percentile higher than 22% 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 57.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.0%

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

What does housing look like?

13,362

Total Housing Units

9,195

Occupied Units

4,167

Vacant Units

2.20

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.2%
Renter 15.8%

$250,300

Median Home Value

-4% vs state

$797

Median Rent

1996

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

+3.8%

YoY Change (2024)

250

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+150%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28906 have increased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +150% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.5% 154
2021 +17.1% 181
2022 +26.3% 228
2023 +5.5% 241
2024 +3.8% 250

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 490 business establishments in ZIP 28906, employing approximately 6,075 people with a combined annual payroll of $241,382,000.

490

Businesses

6,075

Employees

$241.4M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 102 20.8%
Other services (except public administration) 62 12.7%
Construction 61 12.4%
Accommodation and food services 59 12.0%
Health care and social assistance 55 11.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 35 7.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 33 6.7%
Finance and insurance 25 5.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 19 3.9%
Manufacturing 11 2.2%
Wholesale trade 9 1.8%
Information 7 1.4%
Transportation and warehousing 5 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

More ZIP Codes in Cherokee County

28901 standard
Andrews, NC
Pop: 5,354
28905 standard
Marble, NC
Pop: 3,129

Related Areas

Cherokee County Murphy, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28906 in? ▼
ZIP code 28906 (Murphy) is located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. Cherokee County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cherokee-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28906? ▼
ZIP code 28906 in Murphy, NC has a population of 18,475 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28906? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28906 is $55,759, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28906? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28906 is $250,300, which is 10% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28906? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28906 is White at 91.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28906? ▼
ZIP code 28906 has 490 business establishments employing approximately 6,075 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28906? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28906 are: Retail trade (102), Other services (except public administration) (62), Construction (61). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28906? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28906 increased by 3.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 150%. 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 28906? ▼
In ZIP code 28906, 57.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.0% 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 28906? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28906 is 26.0 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 28906? ▼
In ZIP code 28906, approximately 84.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28906? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28906 is 11.6% 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.