Deep Gap, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28618
Watauga County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,352
- 23/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $59,653
- Median income Below-median income area
- $338,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 34.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Deep Gap pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 28th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 28%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 23
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28618 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28618 (Deep Gap, NC) rose +15.7% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 28618 covers 102.3 square miles in Deep Gap, Watauga County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,352 residents on file, a density of 23 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28618 reports a modest median household income of $59,653 (14% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,451. The poverty rate is 10.5%, with unemployment at 4.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $338,400 (30% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 75.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,250.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.2, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Watauga County, so 28618 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 28618
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Deep Gap, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28618.
- Construction
Construction
16 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Wholesale trade 4
Wholesale trade
4 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 4
Professional, scientific, and technical services
4 establishments
- Manufacturing 3
Manufacturing
3 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28618, Deep Gap, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
2,352
Population
102.3
Area (sq mi)
23
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28618?
39.2
Median Age
50.2%
Male
49.8%
Female
2.1%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$59,653
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$33,451
Per Capita Income
10.5%
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28618 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Deep Gap, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$59,653 38th percentile higher than 38% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,320housing units
1,320
Total Housing Units
837
Occupied Units
483
Vacant Units
2.60
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$338,400
Median Home Value
+30% vs state ZIP avg
$1,250
Median Rent
1987
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 52 business establishments in ZIP 28618, employing approximately 426 people with a combined annual payroll of $18,225,000.
52
Businesses
426
Employees
$18.2M
Annual Payroll
8
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 16 | 30.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 13.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 7.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 7.7% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 5.8% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 5.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 5.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 5.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 28618 vs 28626 →
ZIP 28618 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28607
Boone (28607)
33,059 residents
- 28626 2,714
Fleetwood (28626)
2,714 residents
- 28665 2,571
Purlear (28665)
2,571 residents
- 28618 2,352
Deep Gap (28618)
2,352 residents
- 28684 2,141
Todd (28684)
2,141 residents
- 28624 1,639
Ferguson (28624)
1,639 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28618 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28618 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28626
Fleetwood (28626)
$73,675 median income
- 28684
Todd (28684)
$69,307 median income
- 28618
Deep Gap (28618)
$59,653 median income
- 28624
Ferguson (28624)
$51,836 median income
- 28607
Boone (28607)
$46,639 median income
- 28665
Purlear (28665)
$45,685 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28618 ranks #3 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28618, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (2,352 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Watauga County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28618 in?
ZIP code 28618 (Deep Gap) is located in Watauga County, North Carolina. Watauga County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/watauga-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28618?
ZIP code 28618 in Deep Gap, NC has a population of 2,352 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28618?
The median household income in ZIP 28618 is $59,653, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28618?
The median home value in ZIP 28618 is $338,400, which is 22% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28618?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28618 is White at 92.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28618?
ZIP code 28618 has 52 business establishments employing approximately 426 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28618?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28618 are: Construction (16), Other services (except public administration) (7), Wholesale trade (4). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28618?
In ZIP code 28618, 68.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28618?
In ZIP code 28618, approximately 75.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28618?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28618 is 10.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28618's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28618 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Deep Gap, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.