28909 ZIP Code — Warne, NC

Clay County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28909 is located in Warne, North Carolina, within Clay County. It covers approximately 9.52 square miles and serves a population of 365 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 828.

About ZIP code 28909

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 $284,900. Owner-occupancy is high at 91%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $75,855. 77% 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 28 minutes is near the national average. Remote work is prevalent — 31% of workers work from home.

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

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks. 20% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 28%.

Overall, ZIP code 28909 reflects a community defined by high homeownership, a high rate of remote workers, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

365

population

9.52

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28909 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28909

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28909. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Warne	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28902 Brasstown (2.7 mi) 30582 Young Harris (5.7 mi) 28905 Marble (10.3 mi) 30512 Blairsville (11.1 mi) 28904 Hayesville (12.8 mi) 28906 Murphy (13.7 mi) 28901 Andrews (14.2 mi) 30546 Hiawassee (15.6 mi) 30560 Morganton (17.8 mi) 30559 Mineral Bluff (19.5 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	365
Population density	38 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	043

Geography
Land area	9.52 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	35.0118
Longitude	-83.9188
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	81.5%	55.6%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	11.3%	26.4%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	7.3%	14.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.9%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

365

Population

People per sq mi

62.3

Median age

$75,855

Median household income

$43,456

Per capita income

$284,900

Median home value

Median monthly rent

91.3%

Home ownership

16.7%

Poverty rate

12.2%

Unemployment

335

Housing units

42.8%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

5–9

20–24

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	10	2.7%
18 and over	355	97.3%
65 and over	162	44.4%
Median age	62.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 92.9%

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.8%

Two or more races 1.9%

American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%

Group	Count	%
White	339	92.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	14	3.8%
Two or more races	7	1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	1.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	81.5%	55.6%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	11.3%	26.4%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	7.3%	14.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.9%	6.0%

Under $10k 9.7%

$15k–$25k 15.0%

$25k–$35k 12.1%

$35k–$50k 10.1%

$75k–$100k 19.3%

$100k–$150k 20.3%

$150k–$200k 5.8%

$200k+ 7.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.7%
$15k–$25k	15.0%
$25k–$35k	12.1%
$35k–$50k	10.1%
$75k–$100k	19.3%
$100k–$150k	20.3%
$150k–$200k	5.8%
$200k+	7.7%
Median income	$75,855

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 4.8%

$150k–$200k 24.3%

$200k–$300k 27.0%

$300k–$500k 43.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$284,900
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	91.3%
Renter occupied	8.7%
Vacant	41.4%
Single-family detached	86.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	13.3%
Median rooms	6.1
Avg household size (owned)	1.70

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	5.4%
2000–2009	35.4%
1990–1999	19.0%
1980–1989	7.1%
1970–1979	25.5%
1960–1969	0.0%
1950–1959	7.6%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	0.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	3.1%
2 bedrooms	23.5%
3 bedrooms	57.2%
4 bedrooms	16.1%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	5.3%
1 vehicle	27.5%
2 vehicles	37.2%
3 or more	30.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	6.8%
Electricity	57.0%
Propane / LP gas	22.2%
Fuel oil	5.3%
Wood	8.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	49	23.7%
Cohabiting couple	24	11.6%
Male householder, no spouse	48	23.2%
Female householder, no spouse	86	41.5%
Households with children under 18	7	3.4%
Households with seniors (65+)	140	67.6%
Average household size	1.76

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	29.1%	9.8%
Married	24.2%	28.3%
Separated	4.4%	9.2%
Widowed	18.1%	19.1%
Divorced	24.2%	33.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.2%

Some HS, no diploma 0.0%

HS graduate 25.6%

Some college, no degree 14.9%

Associate's degree 13.5%

Bachelor's degree 19.5%

Graduate / professional 23.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	96.8%
Bachelor's or higher	42.8%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	10	100.0%
Elementary school	0	0.0%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 23.0%

Construction 16.4%

Wholesale trade 16.4%

Professional & management 14.5%

Manufacturing 11.5%

Public administration 7.9%

Retail trade 6.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 4.2%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	70.3%
Service	12.1%
Sales & office	0.0%
Natural resources & construction	0.0%
Production & transportation	17.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	62.4%
Government	21.2%
Self-employed	16.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	52.7%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	16.4%
Work from home	30.9%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	28.4

Poverty

All people 16.7%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 17.2%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	76.8%
Retirement income	28.5%
Supplemental Security	5.3%
Cash public assistance	3.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	8.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	33.9%
High blood pressure	39.1%
High cholesterol	39.7%
Diabetes	12.5%
Heart disease	8.7%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	9.5%
Arthritis	31.2%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	9.6%
Cancer	8.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.1%
Binge drinking	14.5%
No physical activity	24.6%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.5%
Depression	24.4%
Fair or poor health	16.4%
Poor mental health	14.6%
Poor physical health	12.8%
No health insurance	16.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	79.5%
Visited dentist	63.0%
Cholesterol screening	90.8%
Teeth loss	15.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	22	6.2%

Disability	%
Any disability	28.2%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	21.8%
65 and over	37.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	44.4%
Public insurance	58.6%
No insurance	20.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	365	100.0%
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)	351	96.2%
Born in same state	351	96.2%
Born in different state	76	20.8%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	14	3.8%
Not a US citizen	14	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	66	18.1%
Italian	51	14%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	11	3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	56.7%
Internet access	94.7%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28909

What city is ZIP code 28909 in?

ZIP code 28909 is primarily assigned to Warne, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28909 in?

ZIP code 28909 falls within Clay County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 28909 have a large retiree population?

77% of households in ZIP code 28909 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 28909 have an older population?

44% of residents in ZIP code 28909 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is ZIP code 28909 mostly owner-occupied?

91% of occupied units in ZIP code 28909 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28909?

17% of residents in ZIP code 28909 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 28909 in?

ZIP code 28909 observes the EST timezone.