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Old Fort, NC

Town in McDowell County, North Carolina. ZIP codes: 28762.

Population

555

Land area

1.2sq mi

People per sq mi

455

ZIP codes

1

Old Fort and its ZIP codes

Full map

Old Fort at a glance

  • Old Fort is about 2.1 times as dense as North Carolina as a whole.
  • Households here earn a median of $47,500 a year, 34% less than the North Carolina figure of $72,388.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $135,900 (53% below North Carolina) and median rent is $818 a month.

Local data for Old Fort, NC

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Old Fort, NC, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$47,500

Poverty rate

13.7%

Median home value

$135,900

Median rent

$818/mo

Homeownership

48.3%

Bachelor's or higher

25.5%

Median age

53.4

Average commute

24.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (89), Irish Americans (88), Mexican Americans (11).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for McDowell County. PPP loans are for Old Fort.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.7%

Aug 2026, -0.7 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$48,681

15,394 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$50,502

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$403M

FY 2026, $9,036 per person

PPP loans

$2.1M

60 loans, 266 jobs reported

McDowell County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Old Fort, NC, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone76.3%
  • Carpooled11.4%
  • Public transit0.0%
  • Walked6.7%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.0%
  • Worked from home5.7%

Average one-way commute: 24.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Old Fort, NC, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: landslide

Storm events since 1996

653

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

138

0.7% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

85° / 25°F

55.9 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone2 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Old Fort, NC, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

35.5%

U.S. 33.3% +2.2 pts

Diabetes

12.8%

U.S. 12.1% +0.7 pts

Smoking

16.2%

U.S. 12.8% +3.4 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

10.1%

U.S. 11.1% -1.0 pts

ZIP codes in Old Fort

1 in or overlapping Old Fort. Population shown

·

Cities near Old Fort

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
MontreatTown7 mi2.7
Black MountainTown8.7 mi6.7
West MarionCensus-designated place9 mi1.5
MarionCity10 mi6.8
GlenwoodCensus-designated place11 mi1.6
SwannanoaCensus-designated place12 mi6.4
Lake LureTown13 mi13.2
Chimney Rock VillageVillage13 mi3.4
FairviewCensus-designated place14 mi6.2
GertonCensus-designated place15 mi3.7
NeboCensus-designated place16 mi5.3
EdneyvilleCensus-designated place18 mi10.7
BarnardsvilleCensus-designated place19 mi3.5
Hoopers CreekCensus-designated place19 mi6.9
AshevilleCity20 mi45.5
Spruce PineTown21 mi4.1

Frequently asked questions

What county is Old Fort, NC in?
Old Fort is in McDowell County, North Carolina.
What ZIP codes are in Old Fort, NC?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Old Fort include 28762.
What is the population of Old Fort, NC?
About 555 people live in Old Fort, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Old Fort?
Nearby places include Montreat (7 mi), Black Mountain (8.7 mi), West Marion (9 mi), Marion (10 mi), Glenwood (11 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023