ZIP Code 28789 — Cherokee CDP, NC Demographics & Data

ZIP code 28789 covers Cherokee, NC in Jackson County with a population of about 6,347.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 42.9 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.

Cherokee, NC is tagged as a Tribal Nation community context (place names indicate a tribal nation community). Local search often includes tribal government offices, public safety, and Indian Health Service (IHS) / wellness topics alongside standard ZIP demographics.

Median household income in ZIP 28789 is about $46,026 — about 39% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 27.7%; unemployment rate near 15.4%; 24.7% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 9.0 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Arts and entertainment, Food services, and Public administration; about 4.3% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 10.9 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 $220,900 — about 37% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $790 (about 32% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 64.3% (about 1.1 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 28789 in Cherokee, NC, a household would need roughly $61,000 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 $1,419. That is about 33% above the local median household income ($46,026), 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee CDP, NC show little to no average snow and around 56.7 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 264 for ZIP 28789 (Cherokee 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.