Newland, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28657

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

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 13, 2026

9,488
23/sq mi: $59,702
Median income: $240,300
Median home value: 24.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Newland pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

29th pct
household income, US ZIPs: Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs: 23
people per sq mi: 85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28657 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28657 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 414.3 square miles in Newland, Avery County, North Carolina. The area is home to 9,488 residents, producing a population density of 23 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 28657 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28657 sits at $59,702 (14% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $36,318. The poverty rate stands at 9.0% and the unemployment rate at 3.9%. On housing, the median home value is $240,300 (7% below the state average) with median rent at $695 per month, and 85.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28657 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 24.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.4, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Avery County, so you can benchmark 28657 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 28657

Construction

30
Retail trade

28
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services

21
Health care and social assistance

20
Other services (except public administration)

20

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 28657, Newland, NC · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-13 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

9,488

Population

414.3

Area (sq mi)

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 28657?

51.4

Median Age

51.2%

Male

48.8%

Female

1.7%

Foreign-Born

White 94.5%

African American 0.0%

Asian 0.0%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 3.9%

Hispanic or Latino 5.4%

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?

$59,702

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$36,318

Per Capita Income

9.0%

Poverty Rate

3.9%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28657 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,702 29th percentile higher than 29% 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 54.7%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.9%

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

What does housing look like?

6,360

Total Housing Units

3,716

Occupied Units

2,644

Vacant Units

2.18

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.4%

Renter 14.6%

$240,300

Median Home Value

-7% vs state

$695

Median Rent

1984

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

+25.1%

YoY Change (2024)

274

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+174%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28657 have increased 25.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +174% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+3.2%	150
2021	+10.4%	165
2022	+31.1%	217
2023	+0.9%	219
2024	+25.1%	274

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 191 business establishments in ZIP 28657, employing approximately 1,369 people with a combined annual payroll of $57,269,000.

191

Businesses

1,369

Employees

$57.3M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Construction	30	15.7%
Retail trade	28	14.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	21	11.0%
Health care and social assistance	20	10.5%
Other services (except public administration)	20	10.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	12	6.3%
Accommodation and food services	11	5.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing	10	5.2%
Wholesale trade	9	4.7%
Transportation and warehousing	7	3.7%
Manufacturing	6	3.1%
Finance and insurance	6	3.1%
Information	3	1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	3	1.6%

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 28657 vs 28616 →

28777

10,638
28657

9,488
28604

6,249
28616

493
28646

342
28662

140
28647

89
28652

46

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28657 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

28646

$76,736
28604

$76,319
28777

$63,378
28657

$59,702

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28657 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
28616	Crossnore, NC	493	1.3 mi
28662	Pineola, NC	140	2.4 mi
28652	Minneapolis, NC	46	5.5 mi
28647	Linville Falls, NC	89	6.6 mi
28646	Linville, NC	342	6.6 mi
28604	Banner Elk, NC	6,249	11.4 mi
28777	Spruce Pine, NC	10,638	11.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Avery County

Avery County Newland, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28657 in? ▼

ZIP code 28657 (Newland) 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 28657? ▼

ZIP code 28657 in Newland, NC has a population of 9,488 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 28657? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 28657 is $59,702, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 28657? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 28657 is $240,300, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28657? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 28657 is White at 94.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 28657? ▼

ZIP code 28657 has 191 business establishments employing approximately 1,369 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 28657? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28657 are: Construction (30), Retail trade (28), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (21). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 28657? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28657 increased by 25.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 174%. 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 28657? ▼

In ZIP code 28657, 54.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).

What is the average commute time in ZIP 28657? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28657 is 24.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.

What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28657? ▼

In ZIP code 28657, approximately 85.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28657? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 28657 is 9.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.