Traphill, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28685
Wilkes County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,076
- 13/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $46,406
- Median income Below-median income area
- $123,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 7.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Traphill pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 10th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 18th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 84%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28685 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28685 covers 158.5 square miles in Traphill, Wilkes County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,076 residents on file, a density of 13 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28685 reports a modest median household income of $46,406 (33% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,884. Economic pressure is pronounced: 24.6% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 13.5%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $123,200 (53% below the average North Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $776; owner occupancy is 84.3%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 7.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.1, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wilkes County, so 28685 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 →
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 28685, Traphill, 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
2,076
Population
158.5
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28685?
35.1
Median Age
43.3%
Male
56.7%
Female
0.8%
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?
$46,406
Median Household Income
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$29,884
Per Capita Income
24.6%
Poverty Rate
13.5%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 28685 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Traphill, 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)
$46,406 13th percentile higher than 13% 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
873housing units
873
Total Housing Units
769
Occupied Units
104
Vacant Units
2.84
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$123,200
Median Home Value
-53% vs state ZIP avg
$776
Median Rent
1982
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 15 business establishments in ZIP 28685, employing approximately 45 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,779,000.
15
Businesses
45
Employees
$1.8M
Annual Payroll
2
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 6 | 40.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 20.0% |
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 28685 vs 28668 →
ZIP 28685 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28675
Sparta (28675)
6,621 residents
- 28635
Hays (28635)
3,901 residents
- 28669
Roaring River (28669)
3,146 residents
- 28685 2,076
Traphill (28685)
2,076 residents
- 28683 1,697
Thurmond (28683)
1,697 residents
- 28627 1,152
Glade Valley (28627)
1,152 residents
- 28649 993
Mc Grady (28649)
993 residents
- 28668 300
Roaring Gap (28668)
300 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28685 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28685 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28669
Roaring River (28669)
$47,358 median income
- 28649
Mc Grady (28649)
$47,016 median income
- 28627
Glade Valley (28627)
$46,474 median income
- 28685
Traphill (28685)
$46,406 median income
- 28683
Thurmond (28683)
$45,423 median income
- 28635
Hays (28635)
$44,901 median income
- 28675
Sparta (28675)
$44,560 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28685 ranks #4 of 7 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 28685, 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 (2,076 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 28685 in?
ZIP code 28685 (Traphill) 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 28685?
ZIP code 28685 in Traphill, NC has a population of 2,076 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28685?
The median household income in ZIP 28685 is $46,406, which is 39% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28685?
The median home value in ZIP 28685 is $123,200, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28685?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28685 is White at 91.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28685?
ZIP code 28685 has 15 business establishments employing approximately 45 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28685?
In ZIP code 28685, 48.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 7.7% 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 28685?
In ZIP code 28685, approximately 84.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28685?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28685 is 24.6% 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 28685's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28685 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Traphill, 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.