28901 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 28901, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

28901 is a zip code in Cherokee County, North Carolina, which covers Valleytown, with a total population of 5,104 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 28901 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 28901.

The estimated population of people living in 28901 is 5,104, with a median age of 49.6.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 28901 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
5,104
 -0.91% -4.95%
2020
5,151
+4.55%
-
2019
4,927
+1.09%
-
2018
4,874
 -9.24% -
2017
5,370
 - -

Population of 28901 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 28901 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
84.4%
89.7%
 -5.91%
Black/African American
4.5%
0.4%
 +1,025.00%
Native
2.6%
1.8%
 +44.44%
Hispanic
6.4%
3.5%
 +82.86%
Asian
0%
0.7%
 -100.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.6%
3.7%
 -56.76%
Other
0.5%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 28901 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 28901 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 28901 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 28901 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 49.6 +3.55% 50.5 +2.02% 47.9 +3.01%
2020 47.9 -4.01% 49.5 -0.2% 46.5 -9.88%
2019 49.9 +0.4% 49.6 +0.81% 51.6 -0.39%
2018 49.7 +9.96% 49.2 +9.82% 51.8 +12.85%
2017 45.2 - 44.8 - 45.9 -

The median age of the 28901 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 28901 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 9 362 -71.5% 374 -48.76% 153 217
10 to 19 325 -19.99% 237 +54.2% 256 384
20 to 29 324 -42.1% 277 -40.01% 207 171
30 to 39 180 +92.06% 250 +78.56% 206 382
40 to 49 353 -0.58% 235 +28.08% 327 290
50 to 59 493 -9.59% 331 +15.51% 365 369
60 to 69 364 -9.51% 482 -14.28% 320 414
70+ 350 +34.51% 433 +29.01% 477 566

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 28901 zip code is $43,765.00.

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 28901.

  • Under 25
    $44,327.00
  • 25 to 44
    $43,878.00
  • 45 to 64
    $58,368.00
  • 65 and over
    $30,113.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 28901 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 28901, 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 28901 is currently $55,656.00.

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.

1.39% of households in 28901 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 28901 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    20.87%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    39.04%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.66%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    6.79%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    11.80%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    2.45%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.39%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 28901 is $25,698.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 28901 by the total population of 28901.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 28901 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 28901 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
    14.64%
  • Bachelor's degree
    25.15%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    7.41%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    47.20%
  • Less than high school diploma
    5.60%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 28901 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 28901 zip over the age of 16 is 4,216.

Of those people, a total of 52.90% 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 28901 is 48.60%.

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 28901 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 122 28.70% 48.60%
20 to 24 years 326 91.70% 24.20%
25 to 29 years 52 100.00% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 230 100.00% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 600 83.50% 6.00%
45 to 54 years 769 76.30% 5.30%
55 to 59 years 340 73.80% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 306 50.00% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 895 11.40% 0.00%
75 years and over 576 3.30% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 28901. 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 3,697 52.30% 4.00%
Black or African American 172 55.20% 66.30%
American Indian and Alaska Native 138 16.70% 0.00%
Asian 0 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 107 89.70% 0.00%
Two or more races 102 81.40% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 264 79.50% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 3,561 51.60% 4.20%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 28901 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 28901 is 2,049, with median earnings of $34,145.00.

Women in 28901 are earning approximately 57.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,049 $34,145.00
Male 1,034 $43,322.00
Female 1,015 $25,022.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 28901 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 218 $58,542.00
Business and Financial 47 $50,329.00
Computer and Mathematical 6 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 37 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 10 $0.00
Community and Social Service 43 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 202 $43,957.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 6 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 125 $18,594.00
Healthcare Support 48 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 33 $36,467.00
Food Preparation and Serving 20 $6,667.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 84 $19,734.00
Personal Care and Service 67 $34,583.00
Sales 268 $24,250.00
Office and Administrative Support 329 $25,521.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 19 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 119 $37,560.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 57 $26,354.00
Production 147 $25,781.00
Transportation and Material Moving 94 $117,602.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 28901 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 28901.

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 175 $56,861.00 43 $0.00
Business and Financial 0 $0.00 47 $50,329.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00 6 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 37 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 10 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 38 $0.00 5 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 18 $0.00 184 $44,152.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 6 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 0 $0.00 125 $18,594.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 48 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 30 $0.00 3 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 9 $0.00 11 $0.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 13 $0.00 71 $19,388.00
Personal Care and Service 39 $0.00 28 $25,313.00
Sales 138 $32,232.00 130 $21,944.00
Office and Administrative Support 100 $26,480.00 229 $21,518.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 19 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 105 $29,097.00 14 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 21 $152,813.00 36 $0.00
Production 118 $25,714.00 29 $27,734.00
Transportation and Material Moving 94 $117,602.00 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 2,372 households in 28901, with an average household size of 2.11 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 1,432 families living in the 28901 zip code with an average family size of 2.59 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 28901:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,140 81 211 940
Average Household Size 2.53 2.47 3.38 1.29
Total Families 1,140 81 211 0
Average Household Size 2.53 2.47 2.95 0

Poverty

Of the 1,432 families living in 28901, 11.90% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 28901:

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 3,245 housing units in 28901.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,372 73.10%
Vacant 873 26.90%

14.24% of the total 3,245 housing units in 28901 are rental units. This is approximately 462 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,880 are occupied by the owner - or 57.94% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 28901 is $777.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 28901 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
    30
  • Less than $500
    94
  • $500 to $999
    233
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    135
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $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 28901 is $133,400.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 28901 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    249
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    509
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    330
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    360
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    249
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    139
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    38
  • $1,000,000 or more
    6

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 28901. The chart below shows the number of properties in 28901 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    192
  • 1940 to 1949
    131
  • 1950 to 1959
    156
  • 1960 to 1969
    213
  • 1970 to 1979
    610
  • 1980 to 1989
    822
  • 1990 to 1999
    531
  • 2000 to 2009
    560
  • 2010 to 2013
    30
  • 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 28901 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    29
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,006
  • 2 vehicles available
    809
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    528

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 28901 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 28901 that commute to work in a particular way.

21.8 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 28901.

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
    160
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    317
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    273
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    332
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    278
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    104
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    226
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    57
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    21
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    70
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    55
  • 90 or more minutes
    64

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 28901 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 28901

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 28901 compare to other zip codes in North Carolina, check out the list of all North Carolina zip codes below: