Hays, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28635

Wilkes County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

3,901
36/sq mi
$44,901
Median income
$145,900
Median home value
9.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Hays pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

9th pct
household income, US ZIPs
24th pct
home value, US ZIPs
36
people per sq mi
89%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28635 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28635 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 109.0 square miles in Hays, Wilkes County, North Carolina. The area is home to 3,901 residents, producing a population density of 36 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 28635 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28635 sits at $44,901 (35% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $30,238. The poverty rate stands at 14.0% and the unemployment rate at 2.0%. On housing, the median home value is $145,900 (44% below the state average) with median rent at $920 per month, and 88.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28635 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 9.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.3, and the average commute is . We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wilkes County, so you can benchmark 28635 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 →

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 28635, Hays, 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

3,901

Population

109.0

Area (sq mi)

36

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 28635?

56.3

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

3.8%

Foreign-Born

White 91.2%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%

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?

$44,901

Median Household Income

-35% vs state

$30,238

Per Capita Income

14.0%

Poverty Rate

2.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 28635 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$44,901 9th percentile higher than 9% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 50.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 9.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,491

Total Housing Units

1,249

Occupied Units

242

Vacant Units

2.14

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.6%
Renter 11.4%

$145,900

Median Home Value

-44% vs state

$920

Median Rent

1985

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 25 business establishments in ZIP 28635, employing approximately 107 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,624,000.

25

Businesses

107

Employees

$4.6M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 5 20.0%
Retail trade 5 20.0%

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 28635 vs 28649 →

ZIP 28635 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28635 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28635 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28635 ranks #6 of 6 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
28649 Mc Grady, NC 993 4.7 mi
28685 Traphill, NC 2,076 5.3 mi
28659 North Wilkesboro, NC 21,134 10.0 mi
28669 Roaring River, NC 3,146 9.0 mi
28668 Roaring Gap, NC 300 10.3 mi
28644 Laurel Springs, NC 1,494 11.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wilkes County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28635 in?
ZIP code 28635 (Hays) is located in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Wilkes County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wilkes-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28635?
ZIP code 28635 in Hays, NC has a population of 3,901 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28635?
The median household income in ZIP 28635 is $44,901, which is 41% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28635?
The median home value in ZIP 28635 is $145,900, which is 48% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28635?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28635 is White at 91.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28635?
ZIP code 28635 has 25 business establishments employing approximately 107 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28635?
In ZIP code 28635, 50.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.0% 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 28635?
In ZIP code 28635, approximately 88.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28635?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28635 is 14.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Hays, NC

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.