Population & age
- Total population
- 19,586
- Median age
- 56.2
Cherokee County · Population 19,586
Murphy, NC (ZIP 28906) sits in Cherokee County. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 44.5%. NCES lists 10 schools serving the area, 10 non-charter. 1 college or university serves the area, with median in-state tuition of $2,636. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $58,192 per tax return. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $45,626 per worker, roughly 30% below the US average. The most recent FEMA disaster declaration here was winter storm-related (SEVERE WINTER STORM, 2026). Annual precipitation averages 59.3" — a wet-climate ZCTA per NOAA's 1991–2020 Normals. County Health Rankings reports 12,641 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Fast-food restaurants outnumber grocery stores roughly 4-to-1 per capita (USDA Food Environment Atlas) — a "food swamp" pattern often linked to higher diet-related disease prevalence. North Carolina levies a flat state income tax (top rate 4.25%); a household at the local median AGI of $58,192 would pay roughly $1,484/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 750 residents (356 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access and school options both run strong here, giving residents a wide menu of providers and enrollment choices nearby. Notable: median household income $49,426, fair market rent of $930 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $278,315, down 1.1% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
Studio
$780
/month
1 Bed
$830
/month
2 Bed
$930
/month
3 Bed
$1,280
/month
4 Bed
$1,480
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
$278,315
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
-1.1%
vs. March 2025
+42.1%
vs. March 2021
Source: Zillow Research, ZHVI All Homes (SFR, Condo/Co-op) Time Series (zillow.com/research/data). Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) is copyrighted by Zillow, Inc.
New housing units permitted
375
Across 370 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $116.8M.
Single-family
369
98% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
6
2% of total units
Single-family value
$116.1M
construction value
Multifamily value
$724,500
construction value
Aggregated from 2 counties touching this ZIP (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Tax returns filed
9,060
Average AGI
$58,192
Avg property tax
$117
EITC participation
16.9%
Income distribution
Avg mortgage interest
$264
Avg charitable contribution
$532
Avg capital gains
$3,089
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $527.2M across all reported brackets.
Business establishments
471
Total employment
5,855
Annual payroll
$225.4M
Average annual pay
$38,494
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Average annual pay
$45,626
Average weekly wage
$877
Total employment
7,976
Total establishments
929
That is roughly 30% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment rate
3.8%
That is 0.2 percentage points below the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
11,307
Employed
10,872
Unemployed
435
Based on Cherokee County, NC data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
FDIC-insured bank branches
5
Typical banking access
A standard suburban / mid-density branch count for this area.
Total deposits
$622.5M
across all branches in this ZIP
Distinct institutions
5
different banks operating here
Top banks by deposits in this ZIP
Based on FDIC-insured branch offices as of June 30, 2024.
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits (fdic.gov). Annual June-30 snapshot of every FDIC-insured branch and the deposits booked there. Figures cover all institutions reporting a branch address in this ZIP.
Federally funded health-center sites
1
Single health-center site
One federally funded community health center serves this ZIP. Residents who need same-day care or specialty services may rely on neighboring ZIPs.
FQHC sites
1
federally qualified
Look-Alike sites
0
FQHC equivalents
Avg hours / week
80
across sites in this ZIP
Sites in this ZIP
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Look-Alike sites provide primary care on a sliding-fee scale, regardless of ability to pay. Active sites only; data refreshed 2026.
Source: HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care (data.hrsa.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active service-delivery sites operated by Health Center Program grantees and Look-Alike organizations.
Facilities located inside ZIP 28906 from CMS Provider Data. Star ratings reflect Overall Hospital Quality where applicable; “Not rated” means the facility didn't report enough measures to qualify.
Hospitals (1)
ERLANGER MURPHY MEDICAL CENTER
3990 EAST US HIGHWAY 64 ALT, MURPHY, NC, 28906
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Provider Data (data.cms.gov). Public domain.
Public EV charging stations
3
Established EV charging
Multiple public charging stations across the ZIP — typical of mid-density suburban and small-urban areas with active EV adoption.
Level 2 ports
24
AC charging — workplace, retail, home
DC Fast ports
0
Highway-class fast charging
Charging networks
Propane (LPG)
1
Propane autogas
Active public stations only. Snapshot taken 2026; AFDC's underlying registry refreshes continuously as stations open and close.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy via NREL (afdc.energy.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active public alternative-fuel stations (electric, hydrogen, propane, CNG, biodiesel, E85, LNG, renewable diesel) and EV charging-port totals.
Public-library outlets
2
Multiple library outlets
Several public-library outlets within the ZIP, giving residents real choice in branch hours, programming, and walk-in distance.
Buildings
1
1 branch
Avg hours / week
42.5
across outlets in this ZIP
Avg square feet
14,000
per outlet
Outlets in this ZIP
Includes 1 bookmobile — service location varies; check the system's schedule.
Public libraries provide free WiFi, computer access, children's programming, job-seeking resources, and meeting space — community infrastructure beyond books. FY2023 outlet inventory from the federal Public Libraries Survey.
Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services (imls.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active public-library outlets — central buildings, branches, and bookmobiles — operated by federally reporting library systems.
Federally Declared Disasters
17
Date Range
1973–2026
Most Recent Declaration
SEVERE WINTER STORM
Winter Storm — declared January 24, 2026 (DR-3637)
Incident period: January 21, 2026 – January 27, 2026
Top Incident Types
Individual Assistance
2
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
2
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
17
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
3
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
56.7°F
43.7° – 69.7°
Annual precipitation
59.3"
Annual snowfall
4.4"
Heating · cooling days
4,040.5 · 1,038.1
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: MURPHY 4ESE, NC US, 9.6 miles from the centroid of Murphy, NC (ZIP 28906)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
12,641
That is roughly 4,441 years per 100,000 above the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
20%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
4.4
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
5.3
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
13.5%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
41
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
1,814
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
7.4
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
98%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
38%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 7.7% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Cherokee data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access status
Good food access — most residents near a store
8.7% of Cherokee County, NC residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.17
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
—
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
0.90
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.76
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 3.2% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Cherokee County, NC for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
FBI publishes crime data at the county level. Numbers below cover the primary county that contains this ZIP. Rates are per 100,000 residents in the area covered by reporting agencies.
Violent crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 65 reports
Property crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 295 reports
Homicide
6
Robbery
0
Burglary
25
Vehicle theft
41
County-level data for Cherokee (2024)
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Public domain. Coverage varies by reporting agency; areas with partial agency coverage may understate true crime totals.
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+750 people
+356 households • +$46.0M net AGI flow
Moved in
1,575households
2,802 people • $115.3M AGI
Moved out
1,219households
2,052 people • $69.3M AGI
Where new residents came from
Where departing residents went
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $73,220 versus departing households' $56,847.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 28906. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Income tax
4.25%
flat · 1 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
7.00%
State 4.75% · avg local 2.25%
Property tax (effective)
0.48%
Median $1,058/year
Tax burden rank
21 of 50
9.60% of personal income
For ZIP 28906: At this ZIP's median AGI of $58,192, the estimated state income tax (before deductions) runs about $1,484 per year. Applied to this ZIP's typical home value of $278,315, that works out to roughly $1,325/year in property tax.
Program
No program
No program
SNAP eligibility
200% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). No asset test.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Nearby ZIPs by distance
28902 (11 mi) · 30559 (Mineral Bluff, 11.9 mi) · 28905 (Marble, 12.2 mi) · 37391 (Ducktown, 12.3 mi) · 37333 (Farner, 13.3 mi) · 37326 (Ducktown, 14.3 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
34.5%
Tracks close to the 33.0% national rate.
44.5%
12.5pp above the 32.0% national rate.
25.5%
3.5pp above the 22.0% national rate.
83.1%
7.1pp above the 76.0% national rate.
8.5%
4.5pp below the 13.0% national rate.
14.9%
3.9pp above the 11.0% national rate.
10 schools serve this ZIP, including 10 non-charter.
| School | Type | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy High | Public | 9–12 | 461 |
| Murphy Elementary | Public | -1–5 | 386 |
| Murphy Middle | Public | 6–8 | 310 |
| Ranger Elementary/Middle | Public | -1–8 | 269 |
| The Learning Center | Public | 0–8 | 187 |
Showing top 5 by enrollment. 5 more schools serve this ZIP.
Schools listed from NCES Common Core of Data via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal.
Fresh.NCES CCD via Urban Institute EDP · Apr 27, 2026Colleges in this area
1
Median in-state tuition
$2,636
Median earnings (10 yr)
$32,232
Murphy, NC · 28906
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
Murphy, NC (ZIP 28906) sits in Cherokee County. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 44.5%. NCES lists 10 schools serving the area, 10 non-charter. 1 college or university serves the area, with median in-state tuition of $2,636. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $58,192 per tax return. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $45,626 per worker, roughly 30% below the US average. The most recent FEMA disaster declaration here was winter storm-related (SEVERE WINTER STORM, 2026). Annual precipitation averages 59.3" — a wet-climate ZCTA per NOAA's 1991–2020 Normals. County Health Rankings reports 12,641 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Fast-food restaurants outnumber grocery stores roughly 4-to-1 per capita (USDA Food Environment Atlas) — a "food swamp" pattern often linked to higher diet-related disease prevalence. North Carolina levies a flat state income tax (top rate 4.25%); a household at the local median AGI of $58,192 would pay roughly $1,484/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 750 residents (356 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access and school options both run strong here, giving residents a wide menu of providers and enrollment choices nearby. Notable: median household income $49,426, fair market rent of $930 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $278,315, down 1.1% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
These two readings tell a consistent story. Strong access numbers usually correlate with denser provider networks, and a high school count signals the population base that supports them. Reading them together: a household weighing this ZIP for a multi-year stay can expect both healthcare and education infrastructure to keep pace.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits higher the national rate at 25.5%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
34.5%, which is 1.5 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
25.5%, which is 3.5 percentage points above the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
44.5%, which is 12.5 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
10 schools serve this ZIP, including 10 public schools (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 27, 2026). No charter schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD.
No charter schools are listed in ZIP 28906 by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
Yes, 2 high schools serve this ZIP: Murphy High, Hiwassee Dam High. (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
19,586 people live in ZIP 28906, with a median age of 56.2 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
$49,426 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 28906, 82.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.4% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 28906, 10.0% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.5% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
13.6% of the population in ZIP 28906 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
80.3% of households in ZIP 28906 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
The typical home value in ZIP 28906 is $278,315, down 1.1% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Home values are down 1.1% over the past year and up 42.1% over the past five years (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 28906 (Murphy, NC) is $58,192 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Tax returns from ZIP 28906 report an average of $117 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
2.9% of tax returns from ZIP 28906 (Murphy, NC) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
As of 2022, 471 business establishments operated in ZIP 28906 employing 5,855 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 28906 is $38,494, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 28906 ranks in the 38th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a moderate vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 28906, ranking in the 55th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
FEMA has recorded 17 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 28906 between 1973–2026 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
Hurricane is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 28906, accounting for 5 of 17 declarations (29%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 28906 was "SEVERE WINTER STORM" — a winter storm declared in 2026 (DR-3637) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
1 college or university is listed near ZIP 28906 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Tri-County Community College (retrieved May 2, 2026).
Median in-state tuition across 1 nearby institution is $2,636 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $32,232 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
ZIP 28906 has an average annual temperature of 56.7°F and 59.3" of annual precipitation based on the MURPHY 4ESE, NC US weather station 9.6 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
1 hospital is located in ZIP 28906 1 is rated by CMS, with an average overall rating of 1.0 out of 5 stars (CMS Hospital Compare, 2024).
North Carolina has a flat income tax with a top rate of 4.25%. Households at the local median AGI of $58,192 would pay roughly $1,484 in state income tax annually (estimated, before deductions). Combined sales tax: 7.00% (Tax Foundation 2025).
North Carolina has no state paid family leave program (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), school information from NCES CCD (10 schools), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), home values from the Zillow Home Value Index, colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1 institution), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (17 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), county-level crime data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024), hospitals from CMS Hospital Compare, and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. School data retrieved Apr 27, 2026 from NCES CCD. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Home values retrieved May 1, 2026 from Zillow Research. College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (17 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). County-level crime data retrieved May 4, 2026 from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Nearby ZIPs by distance
28902 (11 mi) · 30559 (Mineral Bluff, 11.9 mi) · 28905 (Marble, 12.2 mi) · 37391 (Ducktown, 12.3 mi) · 37333 (Farner, 13.3 mi) · 37326 (Ducktown, 14.3 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Have a specific question about ZIP 28906?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
38th percentile
Moderate Vulnerability
Based on 10 census tracts, population 18,831
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
424
Limited English Speakers
14
Persons with Disability
3,411
Without HS Diploma
1,090
Without Health Insurance
3,090
Adults Age 65+
6,225
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.