Roaring River, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28669
Wilkes County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,146
- 26/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $47,358
- Median income Below-median income area
- $137,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 10.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Roaring River pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 11th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 22nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 26
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28669 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28669 covers 120.1 square miles in Roaring River, Wilkes County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,146 residents on file, a density of 26 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28669 reports a modest median household income of $47,358 (32% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,745. The poverty rate is 26.9%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $137,500 (47% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $746; owner occupancy is 86.3%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wilkes County, so 28669 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 28669
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Roaring River, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28669.
- Construction
Construction
7 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
5 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 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 28669, Roaring River, 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
3,146
Population
120.1
Area (sq mi)
26
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28669?
47.7
Median Age
60.0%
Male
40.0%
Female
6.0%
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?
$47,358
Median Household Income
-32% vs state ZIP avg
$26,745
Per Capita Income
26.9%
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28669 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Roaring River, 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)
$47,358 14th percentile higher than 14% 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
1,509housing units
1,509
Total Housing Units
1,254
Occupied Units
255
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$137,500
Median Home Value
-47% vs state ZIP avg
$746
Median Rent
1980
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 23 business establishments in ZIP 28669, employing approximately 123 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,275,000.
23
Businesses
123
Employees
$7.3M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 7 | 30.4% |
| Retail trade | 5 | 21.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 17.4% |
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 28669 vs 28670 →
ZIP 28669 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28659
North Wilkesboro (28659)
21,134 residents
- 28635 3,901
Hays (28635)
3,901 residents
- 28676 3,483
State Road (28676)
3,483 residents
- 28669 3,146
Roaring River (28669)
3,146 residents
- 28670 2,719
Ronda (28670)
2,719 residents
- 28685 2,076
Traphill (28685)
2,076 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28669 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28669 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28676
State Road (28676)
$60,833 median income
- 28659
North Wilkesboro (28659)
$50,280 median income
- 28670
Ronda (28670)
$49,567 median income
- 28669
Roaring River (28669)
$47,358 median income
- 28685
Traphill (28685)
$46,406 median income
- 28635
Hays (28635)
$44,901 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28669 ranks #4 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28669, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (3,146 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Wilkes County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28669 in?
ZIP code 28669 (Roaring River) 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 28669?
ZIP code 28669 in Roaring River, NC has a population of 3,146 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28669?
The median household income in ZIP 28669 is $47,358, which is 38% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28669?
The median home value in ZIP 28669 is $137,500, which is 51% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28669?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28669 is White at 76.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28669?
ZIP code 28669 has 23 business establishments employing approximately 123 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28669?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28669 are: Construction (7), Retail trade (5), Other services (except public administration) (4). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28669?
In ZIP code 28669, 49.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.2% 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 28669?
In ZIP code 28669, approximately 86.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28669?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28669 is 26.9% 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 28669's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28669 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Roaring River, 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.