Residential delivery area · North Carolina
ZIP Code 28665: Purlear, NC
ZIP code 28665 uses the postal name Purlear, North Carolina and lies entirely in Wilkes County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 2,500 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $45,685 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Its land lies outside any incorporated or census-designated place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Purlear · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Wilkes County
- Micro area
- North Wilkesboro, NC
- House district
- NC-5 119th Congress
- State
- North Carolina
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 64.8 sq mi · 38 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 28665?
28665 centers on 36.210°, -81.374° and covers 64.8 square miles of land. It borders 6 ZIP codes: 28624, 28651, 28618, 28626, 28694, 28697.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 28665, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 28665 compare with the rest of Wilkes County?
| Measure | 28665 | In Wilkes County | In NC |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 2,483 | 11th of 20 | 550th of 853 |
| Median household income | $46k | not ranked | not ranked |
| Median home value | $167k | 8th of 15 | 454th of 572 |
28665's median household income is not ranked: its 90% margin of error (±$12,081) is more than a quarter of the figure ($45,685). Rankings use ZIP codes of 1,000 or more people living in households, with margins at most 25% of the figure.
It is denser than 37% of U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 28665?
The 2020 Census counted 2,549 people in 28665; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 2,483. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell 0.9% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 2,483±583 (90% margin)
- 2020 Census count
- 2,549−0.9% since 2010 (2,571)
- Households
- 998
- Median age
- 49.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 28665?
Of the 2,483 people the ACS estimates in 28665, 12.4% are under 18 and 19.7% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (94.1%).
- Under 1812.4%
- 18 to 6467.9%
- 65 and older19.7%
- White, not Hispanic94.1%
- Hispanic or Latino4.0%
- Other or two or more1.0%
- Black, not Hispanic0.8%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 28665 earn?
Median household income is $45,685 (ACS 2020-2024). It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($53,988 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $45,685±$12,081
- Income per person
- $23,355
- Below the poverty line
- 22.3%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 13.5%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 11.7%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $74,2411,080 returns; wages 61% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 28665?
FHFA's house price index for 28665, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 102% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 70% from 2020 to 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $167,400
- Median gross rent
- $684
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 82.4%
- Housing units
- 1,376
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 28665?
18 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 1 fewer than in 2018; the most are in construction (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Construction4
- Other services (except public administration)4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 28665?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28624 | Ferguson | 1,438 | $52k | 6.6 mi |
| 28651 | Millers Creek | 5,578 | $62k | 7.6 mi |
| 28618 | Deep Gap | 2,208 | $60k | 8.0 mi |
| 28626 | Fleetwood | 3,173 | $74k | 9.8 mi |
| 28694 | West Jefferson | 7,626 | $59k | 12.0 mi |
| 28697 | Wilkesboro | 13,412 | $53k | 12.8 mi |
| 28629 | Glendale Springs | 72 | – | 9.6 mi (near) |
| 28606 | Boomer | 2,187 | $57k | 11.5 mi (near) |
| 28649 | McGrady | 1,355 | $47k | 12.5 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.