28679 ZIP Code — Sugar Grove, NC

Watauga County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28679 is located in Sugar Grove, North Carolina, within Watauga County. It covers approximately 25.65 square miles and serves a population of 2,292 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 828.

About ZIP code 28679

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 $260,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 87%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $61,857. 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. An above-average commute of 43 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 36% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 28679 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

2,292

population

25.65

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28679 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28679

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28679. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Sugar Grove	Acceptable
Sugar Grove	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28692 Vilas (3 mi) 28604 Banner Elk (4.7 mi) 28622 Elk Park (6.8 mi) 28698 Zionville (8.8 mi) 37640 Butler (9.7 mi) 28608 Boone (9.8 mi) 37691 Trade (9.9 mi) 28605 Blowing Rock (10.6 mi) 28607 Boone (10.8 mi) 37683 Mountain City (13.7 mi) 28684 Todd (14 mi) 37687 Roan Mountain (14.9 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,292
Population density	89 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	189

Geography
Land area	25.65 sq mi
Water area	0.22 sq mi
Latitude	36.2533
Longitude	-81.8473
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	57.6%	52.9%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	23.8%	25.6%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	14.0%	15.8%	19.1%
Over $200k	4.6%	5.7%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

2,292

Population

People per sq mi

42.9

Median age

$61,857

Median household income

$32,599

Per capita income

$260,000

Median home value

$1,051

Median monthly rent

86.7%

Home ownership

9.7%

Poverty rate

3.6%

Unemployment

1,263

Housing units

35.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

101

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

104

151

35–44

177

132

45–54

153

55–59

60–64

106

156

65–74

182

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	430	18.8%
18 and over	1,862	81.2%
65 and over	520	22.7%
Median age	42.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 85%

Hispanic or Latino 5.1%

Other race 4.4%

Two or more races 4%

Asian 1%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%

Group	Count	%
White	2,053	85%
Hispanic or Latino	124	5.1%
Other race	107	4.4%
Two or more races	97	4%
Asian	25	1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	10	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	57.6%	52.9%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	23.8%	25.6%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	14.0%	15.8%	19.1%
Over $200k	4.6%	5.7%	6.0%

Under $10k 7.1%

$10k–$15k 2.7%

$15k–$25k 6.4%

$25k–$35k 13.3%

$35k–$50k 7.5%

$50k–$75k 21.7%

$75k–$100k 8.4%

$100k–$150k 23.7%

$150k–$200k 5.8%

$200k+ 3.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	7.1%
$10k–$15k	2.7%
$15k–$25k	6.4%
$25k–$35k	13.3%
$35k–$50k	7.5%
$50k–$75k	21.7%
$75k–$100k	8.4%
$100k–$150k	23.7%
$150k–$200k	5.8%
$200k+	3.5%
Median income	$61,857

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 4.3%

$50k–$100k 3.6%

$100k–$150k 7.3%

$150k–$200k 11.0%

$200k–$300k 33.0%

$300k–$500k 36.5%

$500k–$1M 4.3%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$260,000
Median rent / month	$1,051
Owner occupied	86.7%
Renter occupied	13.3%
Vacant	34.6%
Single-family detached	85.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	12.7%
Median rooms	6.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.52

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	1.6%
2010–2019	5.2%
2000–2009	19.1%
1990–1999	11.6%
1980–1989	20.5%
1970–1979	16.6%
1960–1969	1.4%
1950–1959	10.1%
1940–1949	2.8%
1939 or earlier	10.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.0%
1 bedroom	1.1%
2 bedrooms	20.5%
3 bedrooms	57.6%
4 bedrooms	14.2%
5+ bedrooms	5.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.7%
1 vehicle	24.4%
2 vehicles	42.1%
3 or more	31.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	1.7%
Electricity	35.5%
Propane / LP gas	23.9%
Fuel oil	24.0%
Wood	14.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	540	59.7%
Cohabiting couple	50	5.5%
Male householder, no spouse	103	11.4%
Female householder, no spouse	211	23.3%
Households with children under 18	200	22.1%
Households with seniors (65+)	326	36.1%
Average household size	2.54

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	15.4%	24.5%
Married	68.9%	50.7%
Separated	0.0%	3.2%
Widowed	7.9%	10.0%
Divorced	7.9%	11.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.8%

Some HS, no diploma 3.7%

HS graduate 21.6%

Some college, no degree 28.6%

Associate's degree 6.5%

Bachelor's degree 14.6%

Graduate / professional 21.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	92.6%
Bachelor's or higher	35.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	37	7.0%
Kindergarten	51	9.7%
Elementary school	185	35.2%
High school	71	13.5%
College / grad school	182	34.6%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 30.7%

Retail trade 20.0%

Professional & management 14.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.2%

Construction 7.8%

Public administration 5.5%

Finance & real estate 4.1%

Manufacturing 3.2%

Agriculture & mining 2.6%

Other services 2.1%

Transportation & utilities 1.8%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	41.6%
Service	14.6%
Sales & office	25.4%
Natural resources & construction	10.5%
Production & transportation	7.9%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	76.6%
Government	20.7%
Self-employed	2.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	77.9%
Carpool	9.8%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	12.3%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	42.9

Poverty

All people 9.7%

Under 18 years 13.0%

18 and over 8.9%

Married-couple families 4.1%

Female-led households 21.3%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	40.2%
Retirement income	25.4%
Supplemental Security	1.7%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	3.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	31.5%
High blood pressure	35.2%
High cholesterol	37.7%
Diabetes	10.7%
Heart disease	7.4%
Stroke	3.5%
Asthma	9.2%
Arthritis	27.9%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	8.1%
Cancer	7.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	19.3%
Binge drinking	15.2%
No physical activity	22.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	29.2%
Depression	24.1%
Fair or poor health	14.5%
Poor mental health	14.5%
Poor physical health	11.5%
No health insurance	16.1%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.5%
Visited dentist	64.2%
Cholesterol screening	89.5%
Teeth loss	14.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	168	9.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	15.6%
Under 18	1.2%
18–64 years	12.9%
65 and over	34.6%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	74.1%
Public insurance	29.1%
No insurance	6.6%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,206	96.2%
Spanish	49	2.2%
Other Indo-European	49	2.2%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,167	94.5%
Born in same state	2,152	93.9%
Born in different state	1,344	58.6%
Foreign born	15	0.7%
Naturalized citizen	125	5.5%
Not a US citizen	15	12.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	372	16.2%
Italian	321	14%
Arab	113	4.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	25	1.1%
German	7	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	39.4%
Internet access	86.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28679

What city is ZIP code 28679 in?

ZIP code 28679 is primarily assigned to Sugar Grove, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28679 in?

ZIP code 28679 falls within Watauga County, North Carolina.

Is ZIP code 28679 mostly owner-occupied?

87% of occupied units in ZIP code 28679 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 28679 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 28679 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 28679?

ZIP code 28679 has an estimated population of 2,292 residents, with a density of 89 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 28679?

The median household income in ZIP code 28679 is $61,857, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 28679 in?

ZIP code 28679 observes the EST timezone.