28579 ZIP Code — Smyrna, NC

Carteret County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28579 is located in Smyrna, North Carolina, within Carteret County. It covers approximately 17.46 square miles and serves a population of 734 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 252.

About ZIP code 28579

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $292,900. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 70%.

Median household income is $65,880. 39% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with professional and management as the leading industry. The average commute of 34 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 18% 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. 29% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 28579 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

734

population

17.46

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28579 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28579

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28579. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Smyrna	Acceptable
Smyrna	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28524 Davis (2.1 mi) 28553 Marshallberg (4.1 mi) 28528 Gloucester (4.3 mi) 28581 Stacy (7.3 mi) 28516 Beaufort (7.3 mi) 28531 Harkers Island (8.7 mi) 28577 Sealevel (9.6 mi) 28511 Atlantic (11 mi) 28557 Morehead City (15.1 mi) 28520 Cedar Island (16 mi) 28512 Atlantic Beach (17.4 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	734
Population density	42 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	031

Geography
Land area	17.46 sq mi
Water area	1.19 sq mi
Latitude	34.7879
Longitude	-76.5072
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	252

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	37.8%	44.5%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	32.8%	32.2%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	25.2%	18.6%	19.1%
Over $200k	4.2%	4.8%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

734

Population

People per sq mi

51.8

Median age

$65,880

Median household income

$33,201

Per capita income

$292,900

Median home value

$924

Median monthly rent

69.6%

Home ownership

13.6%

Poverty rate

14.4%

Unemployment

318

Housing units

18.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	123	16.8%
18 and over	611	83.2%
65 and over	162	22.1%
Median age	51.8 years

Race & ethnicity

White 98%

Black or African American 2%

Group	Count	%
White	719	98%
Black or African American	15	2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	37.8%	44.5%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	32.8%	32.2%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	25.2%	18.6%	19.1%
Over $200k	4.2%	4.8%	6.0%

Under $10k 3.8%

$15k–$25k 6.1%

$25k–$35k 3.2%

$35k–$50k 12.5%

$50k–$75k 37.4%

$75k–$100k 14.1%

$100k–$150k 19.8%

$200k+ 3.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	3.8%
$15k–$25k	6.1%
$25k–$35k	3.2%
$35k–$50k	12.5%
$50k–$75k	37.4%
$75k–$100k	14.1%
$100k–$150k	19.8%
$200k+	3.2%
Median income	$65,880

Housing

Home values

$100k–$150k 8.3%

$150k–$200k 9.6%

$200k–$300k 35.3%

$300k–$500k 24.3%

$500k–$1M 22.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$292,900
Median rent / month	$924
Owner occupied	69.6%
Renter occupied	30.4%
Vacant	24.2%
Single-family detached	80.1%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	19.9%
Median rooms	5.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.24

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	6.1%
2000–2009	14.5%
1990–1999	18.2%
1980–1989	18.9%
1970–1979	11.9%
1960–1969	9.9%
1950–1959	12.8%
1940–1949	2.4%
1939 or earlier	5.3%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	2.2%
2 bedrooms	26.2%
3 bedrooms	41.4%
4 bedrooms	23.0%
5+ bedrooms	7.3%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	36.4%
2 vehicles	40.6%
3 or more	23.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	91.1%
Propane / LP gas	2.9%
Wood	6.1%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	159	50.8%
Cohabiting couple	69	22.0%
Male householder, no spouse	25	8.0%
Female householder, no spouse	60	19.2%
Households with children under 18	79	25.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	122	39.0%
Average household size	2.35

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	53.5%	20.8%
Married	46.5%	50.3%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.0%	15.7%
Divorced	0.0%	13.1%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 1.6%

HS graduate 51.0%

Some college, no degree 21.9%

Associate's degree 7.2%

Bachelor's degree 11.1%

Graduate / professional 7.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	98.4%
Bachelor's or higher	18.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	25	26.9%
High school	47	50.5%
College / grad school	21	22.6%

Employment

Industry of employment

Professional & management 21.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 19.0%

Retail trade 15.2%

Education & healthcare 14.8%

Construction 13.9%

Wholesale trade 6.8%

Transportation & utilities 6.5%

Finance & real estate 2.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	46.8%
Service	20.6%
Sales & office	11.0%
Natural resources & construction	14.8%
Production & transportation	6.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	94.8%
Government	5.2%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	96.8%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.0%
Other means	3.2%
Avg commute (minutes)	33.5

Poverty

All people 13.6%

Under 18 years 19.5%

18 and over 12.4%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 16.9%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	39.0%
Retirement income	30.7%
Supplemental Security	3.2%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	11.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.4%
High blood pressure	38.3%
High cholesterol	39.0%
Diabetes	12.3%
Heart disease	8.3%
Stroke	3.8%
Asthma	9.4%
Arthritis	31.7%
Kidney disease	3.5%
Pulmonary disease	9.4%
Cancer	7.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.5%
Binge drinking	14.7%
No physical activity	24.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.6%
Depression	24.2%
Fair or poor health	15.9%
Poor mental health	14.3%
Poor physical health	12.5%
No health insurance	16.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	79.4%
Visited dentist	63.7%
Cholesterol screening	91.5%
Teeth loss	15.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	37	6.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	10.1%
Under 18	10.6%
18–64 years	4.9%
65 and over	24.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	55.9%
Public insurance	29.8%
No insurance	28.6%
Uninsured under 19	45.2%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	696	94.8%
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)	734	100.0%
Born in same state	716	97.5%
Born in different state	385	52.5%
Foreign born	18	2.5%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	145	19.8%
Arab	74	10.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	63	8.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	42.6%
Internet access	97.1%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28579

What city is ZIP code 28579 in?

ZIP code 28579 is primarily assigned to Smyrna, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28579 in?

ZIP code 28579 falls within Carteret County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 28579 have a large retiree population?

39% of households in ZIP code 28579 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 28579?

ZIP code 28579 has an estimated population of 734 residents, with a density of 42 people per square mile.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 28579?

The median home value in ZIP code 28579 is $292,900.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 28579?

The median household income in ZIP code 28579 is $65,880, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 28579 in?

ZIP code 28579 observes the EST timezone.