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
$47,358
Median income
$137,500
Median home value
10.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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
22th 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 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 120.1 square miles in Roaring River, Wilkes County, North Carolina. The area is home to 3,146 residents, producing a population density of 26 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 28669 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28669 sits at $47,358 (32% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $26,745. The poverty rate stands at 26.9% and the unemployment rate at 6.4%. On housing, the median home value is $137,500 (47% below the state average) with median rent at $746 per month, and 86.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28669 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 10.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.7, and the average commute is . We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wilkes County, so you can benchmark 28669 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 28669

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28669.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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

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 28669?

47.7

Median Age

60.0%

Male

40.0%

Female

6.0%

Foreign-Born

White 76.9%
African American 13.6%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%

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

$26,745

Per Capita Income

26.9%

Poverty Rate

6.4%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 28669 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$47,358 11th percentile higher than 11% 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 49.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.2%

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

What does housing look like?

1,509

Total Housing Units

1,254

Occupied Units

255

Vacant Units

2.33

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.3%
Renter 13.7%

$137,500

Median Home Value

-47% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28669 ranks #4 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 28669 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 28669 ranks #4 of 6 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
28670 Ronda, NC 2,719 4.7 mi
28659 North Wilkesboro, NC 21,134 6.3 mi
28685 Traphill, NC 2,076 9.8 mi
28635 Hays, NC 3,901 9.0 mi
28676 State Road, NC 3,483 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wilkes County

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.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Roaring River, NC

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.