ZIP Code 28723 — Cullowhee CDP, NC Demographics & Data

ZIP code 28723 covers Cullowhee, NC in Jackson County with a population of about 11,427.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 22.1 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 828; U.S. House district NC-11; the GREENVLL - SPART - ASHEVLL - AND media market.

Median household income in ZIP 28723 is about $43,539 — about 42% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 30.5%; unemployment rate near 9.4%; 31.5% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 2.2 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Retail trade, Education, and Food services; about 5.3% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 9.9 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $308,800 — about 11% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $765 (about 34% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 35.5% (about 29.9 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 28723 in Cullowhee, NC, a household would need roughly $85,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,984. That is about 95% above the local median household income ($43,539), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Cullowhee CDP, NC as Relatively Low (composite score 80.5), which is elevated versus much of the country. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (83.2) and hurricane (66.6). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Cullowhee CDP, NC show little to no average snow and around 54.2 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 474 for ZIP 28723 (Cullowhee CDP, NC) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.