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Data updated 2026-10-07

ZIP Code 28679 · Sugar Grove, NC

Watauga County · pop 2,454 · ACS 2020–2024

The median household income in ZIP Code 28679 (Sugar Grove, NC) is $65,246, higher than 49% of the other ZIP Codes in North Carolina.

Its FHFA home price index changed +39.7% over the five years to 2022.

01 — Where it stands

$65,246
Median household income
± $20,561 MOE
$287,100
Median home value
± $54,055 MOE
$1,014
Median gross rent
15.0%
Poverty rate
Percentiles for ZIP Code 28679 within Watauga County, North Carolina and the U.S.
MeasureValueCounty percentileState percentileU.S. percentile
Median household income$65,246 ± $20,56166th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)49th percentile (689 ZIP Codes compared)36th percentile (22,922 ZIP Codes compared)
Per capita income$34,99250th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)55th percentile (689 ZIP Codes compared)41st percentile (22,922 ZIP Codes compared)
Poverty rate15.0%83rd percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)59th percentile (689 ZIP Codes compared)68th percentile (22,922 ZIP Codes compared)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher35.1%33rd percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)74th percentile (689 ZIP Codes compared)69th percentile (22,922 ZIP Codes compared)
Owner-occupied homes87.5%83rd percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)89th percentile (689 ZIP Codes compared)83rd percentile (22,922 ZIP Codes compared)
Housing vacancy rate23.6%16th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)83rd percentile (689 ZIP Codes compared)87th percentile (22,922 ZIP Codes compared)
Median home value$287,100 ± $54,05516th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)67th percentile (684 ZIP Codes compared)59th percentile (22,833 ZIP Codes compared)
Median gross rent$1,01450th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)55th percentile (688 ZIP Codes compared)45th percentile (22,865 ZIP Codes compared)
Income inequality (Gini index)0.46133rd percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)67th percentile (689 ZIP Codes compared)72nd percentile (22,922 ZIP Codes compared)
Average adjusted gross income per return$68,61733rd percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)60th percentile (675 ZIP Codes compared)47th percentile (22,230 ZIP Codes compared)
Returns with AGI of $200,000 or more3.6%16th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)57th percentile (675 ZIP Codes compared)45th percentile (22,230 ZIP Codes compared)
Home price index, 5-year change+39.7%0th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)7th percentile (576 ZIP Codes compared)22nd percentile (18,843 ZIP Codes compared)
Business establishments per 1,000 residents15.916th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)42nd percentile (685 ZIP Codes compared)36th percentile (22,700 ZIP Codes compared)
Average annual pay per employee$31,16416th percentile (7 ZIP Codes compared)8th percentile (683 ZIP Codes compared)4th percentile (22,551 ZIP Codes compared)

Percentile groups: Watauga County · North Carolina · U.S. Hover a percentile for the number of ZIP Codes compared. MOE = 90% margin of error.

02 — Home prices

+13.3%
1-year change
2021–2022
+39.7%
5-year change
2017–2022
+54.8%
10-year change
2012–2022

Home price index — ZIP Code 28679

Home price index, ZIP Code 28679, 2002–2022Line chart of the annual home price index: 100.0 in 2002 and 167.5 in 2022. Every value is listed in the data table below the chart.10012014016018020022005201020152022167.5

FHFA ZIP Code index (2002 = 100) — annual, developmental, not seasonally adjusted.

Data table
Home price index by year, ZIP Code 28679
YearIndexAnnual change
2002100.0—
2003101.4+1.4%
2004107.7+6.2%
2005101.5−5.8%
2006123.1+21.3%
2007140.2+13.9%
2008137.9−1.6%
2009129.4−6.2%
2010124.4−3.9%
2011117.7−5.4%
2012108.2−8.1%
2013109.4+1.2%
2014117.9+7.7%
2015114.0−3.2%
2016114.7+0.6%
2017119.9+4.5%
2018118.3−1.3%
2019130.0+9.9%
2020127.9−1.6%
2021147.8+15.5%
2022167.5+13.3%

03 — Nearby ZIP Codes

ZIP Code 28679 and nearby ZIP Codes
ZIPPlaceDistanceMedian household incomeMedian home valuePoverty rate5-yr HPI change
28679Sugar Grove, NCthis ZIP Code$65,246$287,10015.0%+39.7%
28692Vilas, NC3.8 mi$43,103$324,90013.0%+84.0%
28698Zionville, NC5.8 mi$54,402$219,40011.5%+63.6%
28604Banner Elk, NC5.8 mi$76,319$383,8007.7%+92.1%
28622Elk Park, NC7.5 mi$44,028$169,90025.3%—
37640Butler, TN8.8 mi$55,402$174,00021.1%+102.2%
37691Trade, TN8.8 mi$13,976$310,30049.3%—

Up to six nearest ZIP Code Tabulation Areas within 30 miles, by straight-line distance between Census center points (2024 Gazetteer).

04 — Business mix

39
Establishments
183
Employees
$5.7M
Annual payroll
$31,164
Average pay per employee
Establishments by sector, ZIP Code 28679
SectorEstablishmentsShare of ZIPU.S. shareRelative concentration
Construction1538.5%9.6%4.0×
Administrative & support services512.8%5.3%2.4×
Other services512.8%9.5%1.3×
Retail trade37.7%12.4%0.6×

Counts are establishments (business locations), not jobs. Relative concentration = the sector’s share of establishments here divided by its share in the U.S. (1.0× = the same share). Average pay is shown only where at least 20 employees are reported. ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023.

05 — About this data

How percentiles are calculated

Percentiles compare this ZIP Code with other ZIP Codes in the same county, the same state and the whole country. Only ZIP Codes with their own American Community Survey estimate, a population of at least 1,000 and a published median household income are compared, and only those with a value for the measure. A percentile of 64th means the value is higher than 64% of the other ZIP Codes in that group (0 is the lowest value, 100 the highest); it describes the size of a number, not a judgment about the area. County and state percentiles are left blank when the group has fewer than 5 ZIP Codes. The number of ZIP Codes compared is shown with each percentile.

Census figures are published for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, which approximate USPS ZIP Code delivery areas; values shown as — are not published or are suppressed by the source.

Use of this page

Area statistics only. These figures describe a ZIP Code area — not any person or household — and do not rate the area or the people who live there. CoverFi is not a consumer reporting agency; do not use this page to make decisions about credit, insurance, employment or housing.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, ZIP Code Tabulation Areas. Estimates are survey-based and have margins of error.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 (establishment counts by NAICS sector; employment and payroll totals).
  3. Federal Housing Finance Agency, House Price Index for five-digit ZIP Codes, census tracts and counties — annual, developmental, not seasonally adjusted.
  4. IRS Statistics of Income, Individual Income Tax ZIP Code Data, tax year 2022.
  5. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (ZCTA locations, used for nearby ZIP Codes).
  6. HUD USPS ZIP Code Crosswalk Files (ZIP-to-tract and ZIP-to-county assignment).

This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. This product uses the HUD User Data API but is not endorsed or certified by HUD User. ZIP Code Tabulation Areas are Census approximations of USPS ZIP Code delivery areas and may not match them exactly. ZIP Code is a trademark of the United States Postal Service.