28789 ZIP Code — Whittier, NC

Jackson County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28789 is located in Whittier, North Carolina, within Jackson County. It covers approximately 58.56 square miles and serves a population of 6,137 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 828.

About ZIP code 28789

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $234,000. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 62%.

The gap between median ($39,754) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. Poverty affects 26% of residents, above the national average. 41% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with arts, entertainment, and food service as the leading industry. The average commute of 16 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 21% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks. 22% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 28789 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

6,137

population

58.56

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28789 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28789

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28789. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Whittier	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28779 Sylva (7.5 mi) 28751 Maggie Valley (10.4 mi) 28719 Cherokee (12.2 mi) 28723 Cullowhee (15.5 mi) 28786 Waynesville (16.2 mi) 28745 Lake Junaluska (17.7 mi) 28785 Waynesville (18.3 mi) 28783 Tuckasegee (19.5 mi) 37738 Gatlinburg (19.8 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	6,137
Population density	105 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	099

Geography
Land area	58.56 sq mi
Water area	0.09 sq mi
Latitude	35.4323
Longitude	-83.2660
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	57.4%	53.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	28.7%	31.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	8.4%	11.7%	19.1%
Over $200k	5.5%	3.1%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

6,137

Population

105

People per sq mi

42.2

Median age

$39,754

Median household income

$31,730

Per capita income

$234,000

Median home value

$1,015

Median monthly rent

61.5%

Home ownership

25.5%

Poverty rate

14.7%

Unemployment

2,955

Housing units

21.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

152

Under 5

162

160

5–9

171

227

10–14

242

193

15–19

205

20–24

374

25–34

397

506

35–44

538

382

45–54

406

158

55–59

168

224

60–64

239

344

65–74

365

200

75–84

213

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,394	22.7%
18 and over	4,743	77.3%
65 and over	1,151	18.8%
Median age	42.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 72.1%

American Indian / Alaska Native 9%

Two or more races 7.4%

Hispanic or Latino 6.9%

Other race 3.6%

Black or African American 1%

Group	Count	%
White	4,750	72.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	594	9%
Two or more races	490	7.4%
Hispanic or Latino	455	6.9%
Other race	236	3.6%
Black or African American	67	1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	57.4%	53.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	28.7%	31.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	8.4%	11.7%	19.1%
Over $200k	5.5%	3.1%	6.0%

Under $10k 2.9%

$10k–$15k 8.4%

$15k–$25k 18.6%

$25k–$35k 12.0%

$35k–$50k 15.6%

$50k–$75k 8.6%

$75k–$100k 11.8%

$100k–$150k 10.7%

$150k–$200k 2.9%

$200k+ 8.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.9%
$10k–$15k	8.4%
$15k–$25k	18.6%
$25k–$35k	12.0%
$35k–$50k	15.6%
$50k–$75k	8.6%
$75k–$100k	11.8%
$100k–$150k	10.7%
$150k–$200k	2.9%
$200k+	8.6%
Median income	$39,754

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 9.0%

$50k–$100k 14.9%

$100k–$150k 10.0%

$150k–$200k 7.4%

$200k–$300k 30.8%

$300k–$500k 12.9%

$500k–$1M 12.6%

$1M+ 2.3%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$234,000
Median rent / month	$1,015
Owner occupied	61.5%
Renter occupied	38.5%
Vacant	35.1%
Single-family detached	67.1%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	29.3%
Median rooms	4.9
Avg household size (owned)	2.04

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.6%
2010–2019	12.0%
2000–2009	20.8%
1990–1999	19.2%
1980–1989	22.9%
1970–1979	12.9%
1960–1969	5.6%
1950–1959	1.4%
1940–1949	2.1%
1939 or earlier	2.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.7%
1 bedroom	8.4%
2 bedrooms	36.0%
3 bedrooms	45.4%
4 bedrooms	7.7%
5+ bedrooms	1.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	6.4%
1 vehicle	35.3%
2 vehicles	36.3%
3 or more	22.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	1.0%
Electricity	72.5%
Propane / LP gas	19.2%
Fuel oil	1.6%
Wood	5.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,072	41.9%
Cohabiting couple	199	7.8%
Male householder, no spouse	477	18.6%
Female householder, no spouse	811	31.7%
Households with children under 18	608	23.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	872	34.1%
Average household size	2.39

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	26.2%	25.5%
Married	50.7%	45.4%
Separated	6.8%	0.5%
Widowed	1.5%	12.7%
Divorced	14.8%	16.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.1%

Some HS, no diploma 19.5%

HS graduate 26.8%

Some college, no degree 20.0%

Associate's degree 10.5%

Bachelor's degree 8.8%

Graduate / professional 12.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	78.4%
Bachelor's or higher	21.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	67	4.9%
Kindergarten	42	3.1%
Elementary school	699	50.9%
High school	334	24.3%
College / grad school	231	16.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Arts, food & hospitality 30.9%

Public administration 17.1%

Education & healthcare 15.9%

Retail trade 9.1%

Professional & management 8.3%

Construction 5.2%

Manufacturing 4.9%

Other services 2.9%

Transportation & utilities 2.2%

Agriculture & mining 1.1%

Wholesale trade 0.8%

Information 0.8%

Finance & real estate 0.8%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	36.4%
Service	31.8%
Sales & office	17.8%
Natural resources & construction	6.5%
Production & transportation	7.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	66.8%
Government	28.5%
Self-employed	4.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	81.4%
Carpool	5.6%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.8%
Work from home	4.2%
Other means	6.9%
Avg commute (minutes)	15.8

Poverty

All people 25.5%

Under 18 years 52.2%

18 and over 17.7%

Married-couple families 11.0%

Female-led households 26.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	40.7%
Retirement income	19.3%
Supplemental Security	5.5%
Cash public assistance	3.1%
Food stamps / SNAP	14.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	36.3%
High blood pressure	37.4%
High cholesterol	37.9%
Diabetes	12.4%
Heart disease	8.1%
Stroke	3.9%
Asthma	9.9%
Arthritis	29.0%
Kidney disease	3.5%
Pulmonary disease	9.1%
Cancer	7.3%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	22.0%
Binge drinking	15.3%
No physical activity	23.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.9%
Depression	24.5%
Fair or poor health	16.5%
Poor mental health	15.4%
Poor physical health	12.7%
No health insurance	17.3%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.4%
Visited dentist	61.5%
Cholesterol screening	89.7%
Teeth loss	16.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	406	8.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	18.1%
Under 18	1.3%
18–64 years	18.3%
65 and over	37.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	41.8%
Public insurance	50.3%
No insurance	21.8%
Uninsured under 19	5.9%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	5,823	94.9%
Spanish	184	3.2%
Other Indo-European	149	2.6%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	35	0.6%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	5,973	97.3%
Born in same state	5,950	97.0%
Born in different state	3,309	53.9%
Foreign born	23	0.4%
Naturalized citizen	164	2.7%
Not a US citizen	20	12.2%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	1,637	26.7%
French	760	12.4%
Italian	681	11.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	13	0.2%
English	4	0.1%
Norwegian	4	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	41.7%
Internet access	93.6%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28789

What city is ZIP code 28789 in?

ZIP code 28789 is primarily assigned to Whittier, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28789 in?

ZIP code 28789 falls within Jackson County, North Carolina.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28789?

26% of residents in ZIP code 28789 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 28789 have a large retiree population?

41% of households in ZIP code 28789 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 28789?

The median household income in ZIP code 28789 is $39,754, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What is the population of ZIP code 28789?

ZIP code 28789 has an estimated population of 6,137 residents, with a density of 105 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 28789 in?

ZIP code 28789 observes the EST timezone.