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
- $73,675
- Median income
- $291,900
- Median home value
- 43.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
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.
ZIP code 28626 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 83.8 square miles in Fleetwood, Ashe County, North Carolina. The area is home to 2,714 residents, producing a population density of 32 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 28626 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28626 sits at $73,675 (7% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $38,779. The poverty rate stands at 10.2% and the unemployment rate at 2.9%. On housing, the median home value is $291,900 (12% above the state average) with median rent at $1,270 per month, and 92.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28626 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 43.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.7, and the average commute is —. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Ashe County, so you can benchmark 28626 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 28626
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
$38,779
Per Capita Income
10.2%
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28626 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$73,675 Top 47% higher than 53% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?
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
$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.
More ZIP Codes in Ashe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28626 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28626? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28626? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28626? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28626? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28626? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28626? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28626? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28626? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28626? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28626? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Fleetwood, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.