Linville, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28646
Avery County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 342
- 6/sq mi Low-density area
- $76,736
- Median income Near-median income area
- $371,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 29.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Linville pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 43%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 24%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 6
- people per sq mi
- 100%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28646 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28646 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Linville, Avery County, North Carolina, home to just 342 residents across 56.1 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28646 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $76,736 (11% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $56,108. Unemployment is 24.5%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $371,300 (43% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 100.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 59.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Avery County, so 28646 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 28646
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Linville, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28646.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
8 establishments
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
6 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
5 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
5 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
5 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 28646, Linville, 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
342
Population
56.1
Area (sq mi)
6
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28646?
59.7
Median Age
48.2%
Male
51.8%
Female
13.1%
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?
$76,736
Median Household Income
+11% vs state ZIP avg
$56,108
Per Capita Income
0.5%
Poverty Rate
24.5%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28646 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Linville, 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)
$76,736 Top 28% higher than 72% 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
1,043housing units
1,043
Total Housing Units
193
Occupied Units
850
Vacant Units
1.98
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$371,300
Median Home Value
+43% vs state ZIP avg
1983
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 45 business establishments in ZIP 28646, employing approximately 785 people with a combined annual payroll of $45,669,000.
45
Businesses
785
Employees
$45.7M
Annual Payroll
8
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 8 | 17.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 6 | 13.3% |
| Retail trade | 5 | 11.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 11.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 11.1% |
| Construction | 4 | 8.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 6.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3 | 6.7% |
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 28646 vs 28604 →
ZIP 28646 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28657
Newland (28657)
9,488 residents
- 28604
Banner Elk (28604)
6,249 residents
- 28605 3,412
Blowing Rock (28605)
3,412 residents
- 28622 2,527
Elk Park (28622)
2,527 residents
- 28611 885
Collettsville (28611)
885 residents
- 28616 493
Crossnore (28616)
493 residents
- 28646 342
Linville (28646)
342 residents
- 28662 140
Pineola (28662)
140 residents
- 28647 89
Linville Falls (28647)
89 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28646 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28646 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28646
Linville (28646)
$76,736 median income
- 28605
Blowing Rock (28605)
$76,477 median income
- 28604
Banner Elk (28604)
$76,319 median income
- 28657
Newland (28657)
$59,702 median income
- 28622
Elk Park (28622)
$44,028 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28646 ranks the highest of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28604 | Banner Elk, NC | 6,249 | 6.8 mi |
| 28662 | Pineola, NC | 140 | 5.2 mi |
| 28616 | Crossnore, NC | 493 | 6.0 mi |
| 28657 | Newland, NC | 9,488 | 6.6 mi |
| 28652 | Minneapolis, NC | 46 | 8.4 mi |
| 28611 | Collettsville, NC | 885 | 7.5 mi |
| 28605 | Blowing Rock, NC | 3,412 | 8.7 mi |
| 28622 | Elk Park, NC | 2,527 | 9.9 mi |
| 28647 | Linville Falls, NC | 89 | 12.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28646, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Avery County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28646 in?
ZIP code 28646 (Linville) is located in Avery County, North Carolina. Avery County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/avery-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28646?
ZIP code 28646 in Linville, NC has a population of 342 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28646?
The median household income in ZIP 28646 is $76,736, which is 1% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28646?
The median home value in ZIP 28646 is $371,300, which is 33% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28646?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28646 is White at 100.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28646?
ZIP code 28646 has 45 business establishments employing approximately 785 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28646?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28646 are: Health care and social assistance (8), Arts, entertainment, and recreation (6), Retail trade (5). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28646?
In ZIP code 28646, 62.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28646?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28646 is 0.5% 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 28646's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28646 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Linville, 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.