PlainZIP

Jefferson, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28640

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

4,719
47/sq mi
$53,155
Median income
$282,900
Median home value
22.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Jefferson pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 36%
home value, US ZIPs
47
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28640 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28640 covers 100.6 square miles in Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,719 residents on file, a density of 47 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28640 reports a modest median household income of $53,155 (23% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $34,864. The poverty rate stands at 14.8% and the unemployment rate at 3.9%. Median home value sits at $282,900 (9% above the state average), median rent at $797 a month, and owner-occupancy at 72.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.7, and the average commute is -. To put 28640 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Ashe County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 28640

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Jefferson, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28640.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 28640, Jefferson, 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

4,719

Population

100.6

Area (sq mi)

47

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 28640?

51.7

Median Age

50.2%

Male

49.8%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 91.0%
African American 3.2%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%

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?

$53,155

Median Household Income

-23% vs state

$34,864

Per Capita Income

14.8%

Poverty Rate

3.9%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 28640 ranks nationally

Jefferson, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$53,155 18th percentile higher than 18% 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 49.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.0%

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

What does housing look like?

2,875

Total Housing Units

2,076

Occupied Units

799

Vacant Units

2.21

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.2%
Renter 27.8%

$282,900

Median Home Value

+9% vs state

$797

Median Rent

1986

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

+25.7%

YoY Change (2024)

260

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+160%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28640 have increased 25.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +160% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.8% 141
2021 +7.9% 152
2022 +31.1% 199
2023 +3.9% 207
2024 +25.7% 260

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 152 business establishments in ZIP 28640, employing approximately 2,394 people with a combined annual payroll of $125,338,000.

152

Businesses

2,394

Employees

$125.3M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 24 15.8%
Health care and social assistance 24 15.8%
Construction 18 11.8%
Other services (except public administration) 18 11.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 9.9%
Accommodation and food services 14 9.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 11 7.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 4.6%
Wholesale trade 5 3.3%
Finance and insurance 5 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 2.0%

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 28640 vs 28629 →

ZIP 28640 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 28640 ranks #3 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 28640 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 28640 ranks #7 of 9 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
28629 Glendale Springs, NC 75 5.0 mi
28617 Crumpler, NC 2,261 5.6 mi
28694 West Jefferson, NC 7,744 4.6 mi
28631 Grassy Creek, NC 637 10.2 mi
28672 Scottville, NC 35 7.1 mi
28644 Laurel Springs, NC 1,494 8.1 mi
28626 Fleetwood, NC 2,714 9.1 mi
28663 Piney Creek, NC 614 11.0 mi
28643 Lansing, NC 3,521 11.2 mi
28651 Millers Creek, NC 7,132 11.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ashe County

28694 standard
West Jefferson, NC
Pop: 7,744
28643 standard
Lansing, NC
Pop: 3,521
28626 standard
Fleetwood, NC
Pop: 2,714
28617 standard
Crumpler, NC
Pop: 2,261
28684 standard
Todd, NC
Pop: 2,141
28615 standard
Creston, NC
Pop: 1,876

Related Areas

Ashe County Jefferson, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28640 in? ▼
ZIP code 28640 (Jefferson) 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 28640? ▼
ZIP code 28640 in Jefferson, NC has a population of 4,719 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28640? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28640 is $53,155, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28640? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28640 is $282,900, which is 2% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28640? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28640 is White at 91.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28640? ▼
ZIP code 28640 has 152 business establishments employing approximately 2,394 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28640? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28640 are: Retail trade (24), Health care and social assistance (24), Construction (18). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28640? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28640 increased by 25.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 160%. 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 28640? ▼
In ZIP code 28640, 49.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.0% 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 28640? ▼
In ZIP code 28640, approximately 72.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28640? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28640 is 14.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.