Fleetwood, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28626
Ashe County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,714
- 32/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $73,675
- Median income Near-median income area
- $291,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 43.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Fleetwood pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 47%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 35%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 32
- people per sq mi
- 92%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28626 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 28626 (Fleetwood, NC) rose +23.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 261.2 in 2023 to 323.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28626 covers 83.8 square miles in Fleetwood, Ashe County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,714 residents on file, a density of 32 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28626 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,675 (7% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,779. The poverty rate is 10.2%, with unemployment at 2.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $291,900 (12% above the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $1,270; 92.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 43.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Ashe County, so 28626 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 28626
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fleetwood, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28626.
- Construction
Construction
14 establishments
- Retail trade 3
Retail trade
3 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 3
Health care and social assistance
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 28626, Fleetwood, 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
2,714
Population
83.8
Area (sq mi)
32
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28626?
48.7
Median Age
50.8%
Male
49.2%
Female
3.7%
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?
$73,675
Median Household Income
+7% vs state ZIP avg
$38,779
Per Capita Income
10.2%
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28626 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Fleetwood, 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)
$73,675 Top 33% higher than 67% 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
2,227housing units
2,227
Total Housing Units
1,521
Occupied Units
706
Vacant Units
2.06
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$291,900
Median Home Value
+12% vs state ZIP avg
$1,270
Median Rent
1988
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+23.7%
YoY Change (2024)
323
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+223%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28626 have increased 23.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +223% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.1% | 177 |
| 2021 | +9.7% | 194 |
| 2022 | +22.9% | 238 |
| 2023 | +9.7% | 261 |
| 2024 | +23.7% | 323 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 29 business establishments in ZIP 28626, employing approximately 152 people with a combined annual payroll of $8,200,000.
29
Businesses
152
Employees
$8.2M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 14 | 48.3% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 10.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 10.3% |
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 28626 vs 28694 →
ZIP 28626 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28694
West Jefferson (28694)
7,744 residents
- 28640
Jefferson (28640)
4,719 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
- 28629 75
Glendale Springs (28629)
75 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28626 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28626 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
- 28694
West Jefferson (28694)
$58,486 median income
- 28640
Jefferson (28640)
$53,155 median income
- 28665
Purlear (28665)
$45,685 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28626 ranks the highest 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 28626, 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 (2,714 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Ashe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28626 in?
ZIP code 28626 (Fleetwood) is located in Ashe County, North Carolina. Ashe County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ashe-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28626?
ZIP code 28626 in Fleetwood, NC has a population of 2,714 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28626?
The median household income in ZIP 28626 is $73,675, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28626?
The median home value in ZIP 28626 is $291,900, which is 5% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28626?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28626 is White at 96.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28626?
ZIP code 28626 has 29 business establishments employing approximately 152 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28626?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28626 are: Construction (14), Retail trade (3), Health care and social assistance (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28626?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28626 increased by 23.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 223%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28626?
In ZIP code 28626, 69.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 43.1% 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 28626?
In ZIP code 28626, approximately 92.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28626?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28626 is 10.2% 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 28626's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28626 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Fleetwood, 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.