28622 ZIP Code — Elk Park, NC

Avery County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28622 is located in Elk Park, North Carolina, within Avery County. It covers approximately 29.69 square miles and serves a population of 2,384 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 828.

About ZIP code 28622

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 $154,200. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 75%.

Median household income is $44,491. Poverty affects 20% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 18% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 46% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is service, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 22 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 12% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 28622 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,384

population

29.69

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28622 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28622

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28622. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Elk Park	Acceptable
Elk Park	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28679 Sugar Grove (6.8 mi) 28604 Banner Elk (6.9 mi) 37687 Roan Mountain (8.3 mi) 37640 Butler (8.9 mi) 28692 Vilas (9.8 mi) 28657 Newland (12.3 mi) 37658 Hampton (12.6 mi) 28605 Blowing Rock (12.6 mi) 37643 Elizabethton (14.6 mi) 28608 Boone (15.3 mi) 28698 Zionville (15.4 mi) 37691 Trade (16.3 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,384
Population density	80 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	011

Geography
Land area	29.69 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	36.2037
Longitude	-81.9528
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	62.2%	55.9%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	26.9%	28.1%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	10.8%	11.9%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.2%	4.1%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

2,384

Population

People per sq mi

47.6

Median age

$44,491

Median household income

$27,130

Per capita income

$154,200

Median home value

$588

Median monthly rent

74.6%

Home ownership

20.1%

Poverty rate

2.9%

Unemployment

1,388

Housing units

12.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

108

25–34

126

147

35–44

173

186

45–54

217

55–59

60–64

108

190

65–74

223

116

75–84

135

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	444	18.6%
18 and over	1,940	81.4%
65 and over	680	28.5%
Median age	47.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 94%

Two or more races 2.7%

Hispanic or Latino 2.5%

Black or African American 0.8%

Asian 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	2,297	94%
Two or more races	65	2.7%
Hispanic or Latino	60	2.5%
Black or African American	19	0.8%
Asian	3	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	62.2%	55.9%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	26.9%	28.1%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	10.8%	11.9%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.2%	4.1%	6.0%

Under $10k 11.1%

$10k–$15k 8.5%

$15k–$25k 14.0%

$25k–$35k 8.9%

$35k–$50k 14.5%

$50k–$75k 18.6%

$75k–$100k 8.4%

$100k–$150k 10.1%

$150k–$200k 1.6%

$200k+ 4.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	11.1%
$10k–$15k	8.5%
$15k–$25k	14.0%
$25k–$35k	8.9%
$35k–$50k	14.5%
$50k–$75k	18.6%
$75k–$100k	8.4%
$100k–$150k	10.1%
$150k–$200k	1.6%
$200k+	4.3%
Median income	$44,491

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 14.2%

$50k–$100k 12.8%

$100k–$150k 21.2%

$150k–$200k 16.0%

$200k–$300k 24.2%

$300k–$500k 3.7%

$500k–$1M 6.7%

$1M+ 1.1%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$154,200
Median rent / month	$588
Owner occupied	74.6%
Renter occupied	25.4%
Vacant	35.3%
Single-family detached	70.8%
Large apartment buildings	1.0%
Mobile homes	23.2%
Median rooms	5.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.29

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.8%
2010–2019	5.3%
2000–2009	17.3%
1990–1999	13.5%
1980–1989	14.0%
1970–1979	14.3%
1960–1969	9.6%
1950–1959	9.5%
1940–1949	6.6%
1939 or earlier	9.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.7%
1 bedroom	5.9%
2 bedrooms	33.5%
3 bedrooms	52.1%
4 bedrooms	7.3%
5+ bedrooms	0.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	7.7%
1 vehicle	33.2%
2 vehicles	38.8%
3 or more	20.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	0.8%
Electricity	52.4%
Propane / LP gas	6.7%
Fuel oil	26.1%
Wood	13.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	544	50.6%
Cohabiting couple	70	6.5%
Male householder, no spouse	232	21.6%
Female householder, no spouse	229	21.3%
Households with children under 18	297	27.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	412	38.3%
Average household size	2.21

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	25.0%	17.2%
Married	56.3%	56.9%
Separated	0.0%	0.9%
Widowed	1.5%	7.6%
Divorced	17.2%	17.4%

Education

Less than 9th grade 8.2%

Some HS, no diploma 15.9%

HS graduate 25.3%

Some college, no degree 29.1%

Associate's degree 9.1%

Bachelor's degree 7.8%

Graduate / professional 4.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	75.8%
Bachelor's or higher	12.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	23	5.4%
Kindergarten	23	5.4%
Elementary school	190	44.4%
High school	141	32.9%
College / grad school	51	11.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 22.8%

Retail trade 17.9%

Construction 15.8%

Arts, food & hospitality 12.2%

Transportation & utilities 6.6%

Public administration 5.7%

Professional & management 4.6%

Finance & real estate 4.5%

Agriculture & mining 3.5%

Other services 3.5%

Manufacturing 2.2%

Wholesale trade 0.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	25.1%
Service	29.0%
Sales & office	24.1%
Natural resources & construction	14.6%
Production & transportation	7.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	71.6%
Government	14.8%
Self-employed	12.5%
Unpaid family workers	1.1%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	77.8%
Carpool	11.5%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	2.5%
Work from home	8.2%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	22.0

Poverty

All people 20.1%

Under 18 years 3.2%

18 and over 24.0%

Married-couple families 9.4%

Female-led households 27.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	46.3%
Retirement income	22.3%
Supplemental Security	4.1%
Cash public assistance	4.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	17.8%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	34.7%
High blood pressure	38.3%
High cholesterol	37.9%
Diabetes	12.4%
Heart disease	8.9%
Stroke	4.2%
Asthma	9.4%
Arthritis	30.4%
Kidney disease	3.8%
Pulmonary disease	9.8%
Cancer	7.7%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.8%
Binge drinking	14.7%
No physical activity	25.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	30.9%
Depression	23.6%
Fair or poor health	17.4%
Poor mental health	14.9%
Poor physical health	13.1%
No health insurance	18.6%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.1%
Visited dentist	61.0%
Cholesterol screening	89.2%
Teeth loss	18.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	180	9.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	21.0%
Under 18	2.0%
18–64 years	24.7%
65 and over	26.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	48.4%
Public insurance	57.7%
No insurance	14.9%
Uninsured under 19	4.2%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,296	96.3%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,380	99.8%
Born in same state	2,373	99.5%
Born in different state	1,753	73.5%
Foreign born	7	0.3%
Naturalized citizen	4	0.2%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	232	9.7%
Arab	226	9.5%
Italian	196	8.2%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	35	1.5%
Polish	14	0.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	45.1%
Internet access	85.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28622

What city is ZIP code 28622 in?

ZIP code 28622 is primarily assigned to Elk Park, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28622 in?

ZIP code 28622 falls within Avery County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 28622 have an older population?

29% of residents in ZIP code 28622 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 28622?

12% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 28622 have a large retiree population?

46% of households in ZIP code 28622 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28622?

20% of residents in ZIP code 28622 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 28622 in?

ZIP code 28622 observes the EST timezone.