Elk Park is a town in Avery County, North Carolina, home to about 560 people across 0.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28622.
Homes sold for a median of $199 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Elk Park. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Elk Park’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)87 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport (TRI)33 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC92 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA456 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Elk Park; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Elk Park had 542 residents in the 2020 census, up 18% since 2000.
It’s the 564th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Avery County grew from 10,335 residents in 1920 to 17,806 in 2020.
Avery County, 1920–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 77°F in summer, and winter lows average 22°F. About 53.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 31 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Banner Elk, NC weather station (5 miles away).
5,509 jobs at 539 businesses in Avery County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Nearest hospitals
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Grocery stores
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Avery County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Trail ElementaryElk Park | Pre-K–5 | 202 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Cranberry MiddleElk Park | 6–8 | 202 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Christian AcademyElk Park | 11 | 1 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.