28717 ZIP Code — Cashiers, NC

Jackson County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28717 is located in Cashiers, North Carolina, within Jackson County. It covers approximately 36.39 square miles and serves a population of 1,381 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 828.

About ZIP code 28717

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $349,600. Owner-occupancy is high at 87%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($71,023) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. The poverty rate of 5% is below the national average. 45% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with retail trade as the leading industry. The average commute of 13 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 43% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 28717 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,381

population

36.39

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28717 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28717

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28717. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Cashiers	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28774 Sapphire (5.2 mi) 28741 Highlands (6.2 mi) 28736 Glenville (6.6 mi) 28747 Lake Toxaway (10.1 mi) 28783 Tuckasegee (10.6 mi) 28723 Cullowhee (12 mi) 29676 Salem (12.7 mi) 29686 Tamassee (12.8 mi) 28775 Scaly Mountain (13.5 mi) 29664 Mountain Rest (13.8 mi) 28772 Rosman (14.6 mi) 29685 Sunset (15.4 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,381
Population density	38 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	099

Geography
Land area	36.39 sq mi
Water area	0.13 sq mi
Latitude	35.0782
Longitude	-83.0937
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	828

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	38.8%	53.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	37.0%	31.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	16.6%	11.7%	19.1%
Over $200k	7.7%	3.1%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

1,381

Population

People per sq mi

60.1

Median age

$71,023

Median household income

$57,747

Per capita income

$349,600

Median home value

$1,298

Median monthly rent

87.2%

Home ownership

4.6%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

2,128

Housing units

43.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

102

60–64

102

154

65–74

154

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	197	14.3%
18 and over	1,184	85.7%
65 and over	504	36.5%
Median age	60.1 years

Race & ethnicity

White 72.8%

Hispanic or Latino 13.6%

Two or more races 13.6%

Group	Count	%
White	1,164	72.8%
Hispanic or Latino	217	13.6%
Two or more races	217	13.6%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	38.8%	53.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	37.0%	31.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	16.6%	11.7%	19.1%
Over $200k	7.7%	3.1%	6.0%

Under $10k 2.6%

$10k–$15k 1.3%

$15k–$25k 2.2%

$25k–$35k 8.2%

$35k–$50k 11.5%

$50k–$75k 28.0%

$75k–$100k 6.9%

$100k–$150k 23.0%

$150k–$200k 4.8%

$200k+ 11.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.6%
$10k–$15k	1.3%
$15k–$25k	2.2%
$25k–$35k	8.2%
$35k–$50k	11.5%
$50k–$75k	28.0%
$75k–$100k	6.9%
$100k–$150k	23.0%
$150k–$200k	4.8%
$200k+	11.5%
Median income	$71,023

Housing

Home values

$100k–$150k 9.4%

$150k–$200k 10.4%

$200k–$300k 20.9%

$300k–$500k 26.8%

$500k–$1M 15.2%

$1M+ 17.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$349,600
Median rent / month	$1,298
Owner occupied	87.2%
Renter occupied	12.8%
Vacant	69.0%
Single-family detached	92.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	3.2%
Median rooms	5.0
Avg household size (owned)	1.88

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	3.3%
2000–2009	35.5%
1990–1999	25.1%
1980–1989	10.8%
1970–1979	13.7%
1960–1969	4.8%
1950–1959	6.8%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	0.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	6.1%
2 bedrooms	21.8%
3 bedrooms	47.3%
4 bedrooms	21.0%
5+ bedrooms	3.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	5.1%
1 vehicle	21.3%
2 vehicles	39.7%
3 or more	34.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	2.0%
Electricity	52.6%
Propane / LP gas	41.8%
Fuel oil	2.2%
Wood	1.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	427	62.2%
Cohabiting couple	44	6.4%
Male householder, no spouse	116	16.9%
Female householder, no spouse	99	14.4%
Households with children under 18	127	18.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	320	46.6%
Average household size	2.01

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	6.8%	15.9%
Married	70.5%	68.2%
Separated	1.8%	0.0%
Widowed	1.5%	10.4%
Divorced	19.4%	5.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.9%

Some HS, no diploma 4.1%

HS graduate 36.4%

Some college, no degree 6.4%

Associate's degree 7.1%

Bachelor's degree 35.0%

Graduate / professional 8.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	93.0%
Bachelor's or higher	43.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	13	7.1%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	101	55.5%
High school	46	25.3%
College / grad school	22	12.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Retail trade 20.9%

Arts, food & hospitality 16.6%

Education & healthcare 15.2%

Transportation & utilities 12.7%

Construction 10.1%

Finance & real estate 6.8%

Other services 6.5%

Professional & management 6.0%

Public administration 5.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	17.1%
Service	29.3%
Sales & office	37.9%
Natural resources & construction	12.1%
Production & transportation	3.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	55.7%
Government	20.8%
Self-employed	22.3%
Unpaid family workers	1.3%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	90.3%
Carpool	5.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	4.7%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	13.3

Poverty

All people 4.6%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 5.3%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.5%
Retirement income	36.2%
Supplemental Security	0.0%
Cash public assistance	2.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	2.9%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	32.2%
High blood pressure	37.2%
High cholesterol	40.7%
Diabetes	11.1%
Heart disease	7.9%
Stroke	3.4%
Asthma	8.3%
Arthritis	28.7%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	7.2%
Cancer	8.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	13.9%
Binge drinking	14.4%
No physical activity	19.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.5%
Depression	20.7%
Fair or poor health	12.2%
Poor mental health	11.7%
Poor physical health	10.0%
No health insurance	14.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	79.9%
Visited dentist	70.5%
Cholesterol screening	92.7%
Teeth loss	10.4%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	130	11.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	9.6%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	6.5%
65 and over	17.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	73.3%
Public insurance	44.0%
No insurance	12.4%
Uninsured under 19	17.8%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,331	96.4%
Spanish	25	1.9%
Other Indo-European	25	1.9%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,326	96.0%
Born in same state	1,313	95.1%
Born in different state	559	40.5%
Foreign born	13	0.9%
Naturalized citizen	55	4.0%
Not a US citizen	12	21.8%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	523	37.9%
French	89	6.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	57	4.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	49.7%
Internet access	94.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28717

What city is ZIP code 28717 in?

ZIP code 28717 is primarily assigned to Cashiers, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28717 in?

ZIP code 28717 falls within Jackson County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 28717 have an older population?

37% of residents in ZIP code 28717 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is ZIP code 28717 mostly owner-occupied?

87% of occupied units in ZIP code 28717 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 28717 have a large retiree population?

45% of households in ZIP code 28717 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 28717 have a large veteran population?

11% of civilians in ZIP code 28717 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 28717 in?

ZIP code 28717 observes the EST timezone.