28777 ZIP Code — Spruce Pine, NC

Mitchell County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28777 is located in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, within Mitchell County. It covers approximately 71.76 square miles and serves a population of 10,723 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 828.

About ZIP code 28777

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $189,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 79%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $57,154. 40% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 21 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 17% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 28777 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

10,723

population

71.76

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28777 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28777

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28777. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Spruce Pine	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28657 Newland (11.2 mi) 28752 Marion (11.6 mi) 28705 Bakersville (13.3 mi) 28740 Green Mountain (13.6 mi) 28714 Burnsville (13.8 mi) 28761 Nebo (17.4 mi) 28611 Collettsville (18.9 mi) 37687 Roan Mountain (19.3 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	10,723
Population density	149 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	121

Geography
Land area	71.76 sq mi
Water area	0.05 sq mi
Latitude	35.9061
Longitude	-82.0671
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	50.4%	50.8%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	35.3%	33.5%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	11.7%	13.9%	19.1%
Over $200k	2.6%	1.8%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

10,723

Population

149

People per sq mi

45.6

Median age

$57,154

Median household income

$26,834

Per capita income

$189,700

Median home value

$623

Median monthly rent

78.9%

Home ownership

14.8%

Poverty rate

5.0%

Unemployment

4,054

Housing units

16.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

320

Under 5

209

299

5–9

196

194

10–14

127

282

15–19

184

228

20–24

150

998

25–34

653

857

35–44

562

1,004

45–54

657

642

55–59

420

467

60–64

306

721

65–74

472

332

75–84

217

137

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,687	15.7%
18 and over	9,036	84.3%
65 and over	1,968	18.4%
Median age	45.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 80.9%

Hispanic or Latino 5%

Black or African American 4.7%

Other race 4.1%

Two or more races 4%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%

Asian 0.4%

Group	Count	%
White	9,140	80.9%
Hispanic or Latino	570	5%
Black or African American	527	4.7%
Other race	458	4.1%
Two or more races	450	4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	106	0.9%
Asian	42	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	50.4%	50.8%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	35.3%	33.5%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	11.7%	13.9%	19.1%
Over $200k	2.6%	1.8%	6.0%

Under $10k 7.6%

$10k–$15k 6.5%

$15k–$25k 11.5%

$25k–$35k 7.9%

$35k–$50k 10.1%

$50k–$75k 18.5%

$75k–$100k 18.6%

$100k–$150k 10.6%

$150k–$200k 5.0%

$200k+ 3.9%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	7.6%
$10k–$15k	6.5%
$15k–$25k	11.5%
$25k–$35k	7.9%
$35k–$50k	10.1%
$50k–$75k	18.5%
$75k–$100k	18.6%
$100k–$150k	10.6%
$150k–$200k	5.0%
$200k+	3.9%
Median income	$57,154

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 5.2%

$50k–$100k 13.8%

$100k–$150k 17.0%

$150k–$200k 17.9%

$200k–$300k 23.9%

$300k–$500k 16.8%

$500k–$1M 4.0%

$1M+ 1.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$189,700
Median rent / month	$623
Owner occupied	78.9%
Renter occupied	21.1%
Vacant	22.3%
Single-family detached	67.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.4%
Mobile homes	21.5%
Median rooms	5.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.24

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.3%
2010–2019	2.7%
2000–2009	12.0%
1990–1999	16.1%
1980–1989	15.7%
1970–1979	16.1%
1960–1969	11.2%
1950–1959	14.7%
1940–1949	5.0%
1939 or earlier	6.3%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.5%
1 bedroom	7.9%
2 bedrooms	28.8%
3 bedrooms	54.7%
4 bedrooms	7.2%
5+ bedrooms	0.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	7.9%
1 vehicle	30.8%
2 vehicles	35.0%
3 or more	26.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	5.4%
Electricity	40.4%
Propane / LP gas	13.2%
Fuel oil	28.7%
Wood	11.0%
No fuel used	1.0%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,962	52.1%
Cohabiting couple	145	3.8%
Male householder, no spouse	606	16.1%
Female householder, no spouse	1,056	28.0%
Households with children under 18	913	24.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	1,455	38.6%
Average household size	2.27

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	32.6%	15.0%
Married	39.8%	53.2%
Separated	1.7%	5.2%
Widowed	2.7%	12.7%
Divorced	23.2%	14.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.2%

Some HS, no diploma 9.1%

HS graduate 36.0%

Some college, no degree 24.9%

Associate's degree 9.3%

Bachelor's degree 11.4%

Graduate / professional 5.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	86.8%
Bachelor's or higher	16.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	175	10.8%
Kindergarten	62	3.8%
Elementary school	613	37.9%
High school	408	25.2%
College / grad school	358	22.2%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 22.6%

Manufacturing 20.5%

Retail trade 11.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.4%

Other services 7.0%

Public administration 5.7%

Agriculture & mining 5.0%

Construction 4.7%

Professional & management 4.2%

Finance & real estate 3.2%

Transportation & utilities 3.1%

Information 2.0%

Wholesale trade 1.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	32.7%
Service	15.0%
Sales & office	18.2%
Natural resources & construction	12.6%
Production & transportation	21.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	80.3%
Government	15.6%
Self-employed	4.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	76.0%
Carpool	15.8%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.0%
Work from home	4.6%
Other means	0.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	21.4

Poverty

All people 14.8%

Under 18 years 15.4%

18 and over 14.7%

Married-couple families 7.0%

Female-led households 24.5%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	39.9%
Retirement income	26.0%
Supplemental Security	7.0%
Cash public assistance	1.9%
Food stamps / SNAP	15.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	32.4%
High blood pressure	34.9%
High cholesterol	36.2%
Diabetes	10.5%
Heart disease	7.3%
Stroke	3.4%
Asthma	8.7%
Arthritis	26.5%
Kidney disease	3.2%
Pulmonary disease	7.7%
Cancer	7.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	20.7%
Binge drinking	16.7%
No physical activity	22.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.8%
Depression	22.3%
Fair or poor health	14.4%
Poor mental health	13.9%
Poor physical health	11.1%
No health insurance	18.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	77.1%
Visited dentist	62.1%
Cholesterol screening	89.2%
Teeth loss	14.5%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	734	8.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	18.5%
Under 18	8.7%
18–64 years	14.4%
65 and over	38.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	61.5%
Public insurance	40.0%
No insurance	12.9%
Uninsured under 19	1.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	10,194	95.1%
Spanish	345	3.4%
Other Indo-European	227	2.2%
Asian & Pacific Islander	76	0.7%
Other languages	16	0.2%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	9,974	93.0%
Born in same state	9,947	92.8%
Born in different state	7,466	69.6%
Foreign born	27	0.3%
Naturalized citizen	749	7.0%
Not a US citizen	182	24.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	1,444	13.5%
Italian	1,290	12%
Arab	693	6.5%
German	42	0.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	36	0.3%
Dutch	34	0.3%
Polish	21	0.2%
Irish	19	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.1%
Internet access	86.1%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28777

What city is ZIP code 28777 in?

ZIP code 28777 is primarily assigned to Spruce Pine, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28777 in?

ZIP code 28777 falls within Mitchell County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 28777 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 28777 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 28777?

The median home value in ZIP code 28777 is $189,700.

What is the population of ZIP code 28777?

ZIP code 28777 has an estimated population of 10,723 residents, with a density of 149 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 28777?

The median household income in ZIP code 28777 is $57,154, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 28777 in?

ZIP code 28777 observes the EST timezone.