28721 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 28721, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

28721 is a zip code in Haywood County, North Carolina, which covers Beaverdam, Cataloochee, Clyde, Crabtree, Fines Creek, Waynesville, and White Oak, with a total population of 9,890 people.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in the 28721 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 28721.

The estimated population of people living in 28721 is 9,890, with a median age of 46.2.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 28721 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
9,890
 -4.85% +1.74%
2020
10,394
 -0.07% -
2019
10,401
+2.45%
-
2018
10,152
+4.43%
-
2017
9,721
 - -

Population of 28721 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 28721 zip code changed? The US Census Bureau gives us a few defined types that the population is broken down into.

Let's look at the total numbers and also the change over the last 5 years.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
88.9%
93.3%
 -4.72%
Black/African American
0.6%
0.6%
 0.00%
Native
0%
0.2%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
8%
4.7%
 +70.21%
Asian
1.1%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.3%
1.2%
 +8.33%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 28721 zip for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of 28721 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 28721 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 28721 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 46.2 +1.09% 48.3 +1.9% 43.7 +1.16%
2020 45.7 +8.55% 47.4 +7.48% 43.2 +9.64%
2019 42.1 +1.45% 44.1 +3.52% 39.4 -1.5%
2018 41.5 -3.26% 42.6 -1.84% 40 -5.21%
2017 42.9 - 43.4 - 42.2 -

The median age of the 28721 zip gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population in the 28721 area, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 549 -6.48% 621 -35.03% 475 426
10 to 19 572 -41.51% 527 +46.54% 368 811
20 to 29 509 -14.81% 677 +14.98% 432 737
30 to 39 495 +22.44% 552 -9.56% 606 481
40 to 49 530 -23.14% 499 +23.06% 414 613
50 to 59 794 -13.85% 714 +15.52% 682 828
60 to 69 657 1.52% 819 -1.38% 651 784
70+ 583 +29.65% 623 +28.02% 770 812

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 28721 zip code is $51,250.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less.

The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for 28721.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $75,847.00
  • 45 to 64
    $45,509.00
  • 65 and over
    $40,286.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 28721 zip code, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in 28721, and then dividing that number by the total number of households.

This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of 28721 is currently $63,490.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

3.09% of households in 28721 are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of 28721 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    29.16%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    19.82%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.84%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.36%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    13.22%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.51%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.09%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 28721 is $29,923.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 28721 by the total population of 28721.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 28721 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 28721 to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    9.29%
  • Bachelor's degree
    28.43%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    10.44%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    50.48%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.37%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 28721 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 28721 zip over the age of 16 is 8,369.

Of those people, a total of 60.40% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in 28721 is 58.80%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate. Here's how that breaks down for the 28721 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 559 63.90% 13.40%
20 to 24 years 525 86.90% 2.90%
25 to 29 years 644 88.80% 3.90%
30 to 34 years 424 94.30% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 1,148 93.30% 0.00%
45 to 54 years 1,315 76.60% 4.30%
55 to 59 years 737 70.70% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 731 49.90% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 1,273 22.50% 0.00%
75 years and over 1,013 1.80% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 28721. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau (which we mentioned earlier in this article).

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 7,681 59.10% 2.80%
Black or African American 56 8.90% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 113 100.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 107 91.60% 0.00%
Two or more races 412 71.60% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 601 94.50% 8.10%
Not Hispanic or Latino 7,468 58.00% 1.90%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 28721 area as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in 28721 is 4,918, with median earnings of $29,406.00.

Women in 28721 are earning approximately 60.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 4,918 $29,406.00
Male 2,198 $39,688.00
Female 2,720 $24,036.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 28721 even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 268 $63,875.00
Business and Financial 238 $88,534.00
Computer and Mathematical 96 $47,188.00
Architecture and Engineering 154 $17,048.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 54 $71,146.00
Community and Social Service 68 $60,765.00
Legal 8 $0.00
Educational and Library 206 $42,813.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 25 $58,375.00
Healthcare Practitioners 418 $59,333.00
Healthcare Support 279 $20,156.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 25 $66,375.00
Law Enforcement 68 $46,908.00
Food Preparation and Serving 434 $17,931.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 456 $15,094.00
Personal Care and Service 43 $0.00
Sales 484 $29,444.00
Office and Administrative Support 537 $28,904.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 45 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 213 $27,083.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 124 $60,250.00
Production 279 $45,848.00
Transportation and Material Moving 196 $32,150.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 28721 when it is broken down by male and female.

This lets us see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings for 28721.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 125 $137,520.00 143 $42,188.00
Business and Financial 111 $79,327.00 127 $88,685.00
Computer and Mathematical 96 $47,188.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 60 $41,944.00 94 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 38 $0.00 16 $0.00
Community and Social Service 9 $0.00 59 $60,995.00
Legal 8 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 29 $43,542.00 177 $42,764.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 25 $58,375.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 101 $123,803.00 317 $57,972.00
Healthcare Support 64 $0.00 215 $24,671.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 14 $65,750.00 11 $0.00
Law Enforcement 65 $46,964.00 3 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 99 $17,629.00 335 $20,059.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 142 $19,894.00 314 $2,499.00
Personal Care and Service 24 $0.00 19 $0.00
Sales 245 $39,653.00 239 $25,822.00
Office and Administrative Support 120 $43,571.00 417 $27,824.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 45 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 213 $27,083.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 124 $60,250.00 0 $0.00
Production 195 $59,850.00 84 $21,071.00
Transportation and Material Moving 196 $32,150.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household is defined by the US Census Bureau as a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 4,365 households in 28721, with an average household size of 2.26 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 2,681 families living in the 28721 zip code with an average family size of 2.94 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each, that live in 28721:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,976 155 550 1,684
Average Household Size 2.99 2.83 3.13 1.05
Total Families 1,976 155 550 0
Average Household Size 2.99 2.03 3.01 0

Poverty

Of the 2,681 families living in 28721, 6.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 28721:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 5,198 housing units in 28721.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 4,365 83.97%
Vacant 833 16.03%

22.70% of the total 5,198 housing units in 28721 are rental units. This is approximately 1,180 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 3,024 are occupied by the owner - or 58.18% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 28721 is $816.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 28721 that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    161
  • Less than $500
    160
  • $500 to $999
    677
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    318
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    25
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in 28721 is $178,700.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 28721 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    197
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    402
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    439
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    775
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    774
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    262
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    175
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 28721. The chart below shows the number of properties in 28721 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    346
  • 1940 to 1949
    187
  • 1950 to 1959
    414
  • 1960 to 1969
    373
  • 1970 to 1979
    689
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,092
  • 1990 to 1999
    829
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,065
  • 2010 to 2013
    203
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in 28721 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    147
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,468
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,374
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,376

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 28721 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 28721 that commute to work in a particular way.

23.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 28721.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    185
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    348
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    778
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,196
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    438
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    181
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    669
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    314
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    151
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    215
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    91
  • 90 or more minutes
    147

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 28721 in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

States in 28721

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 28721 compare to other zip codes in North Carolina, check out the list of all North Carolina zip codes below: