PlainZIP

Valdese, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28690

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

9,295
166/sq mi
$67,000
Median income
$211,300
Median home value
32.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

42th pct
household income, US ZIPs
47th pct
home value, US ZIPs
166
people per sq mi
79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28690 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28690 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Valdese, Burke County, North Carolina, home to 9,295 residents across 55.9 square miles, a density of 166 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28690 reports a modest median household income of $67,000 (3% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $42,141. 10.4% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.0%. Housing costs here run $211,300 for a typical home value (19% below the state average), with rent averaging $810 a month; 79.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.2, and the average commute is 23 minutes. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Burke County, letting you compare 28690 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 28690

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Valdese, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28690.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28690, Valdese, 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

9,295

Population

55.9

Area (sq mi)

166

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 28690?

51.2

Median Age

44.5%

Male

55.5%

Female

5.0%

Foreign-Born

White 88.1%
African American 1.9%
Asian 3.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%

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?

$67,000

Median Household Income

-3% vs state

$42,141

Per Capita Income

10.4%

Poverty Rate

5.0%

Unemployment Rate

22.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28690 ranks nationally

Valdese, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$67,000 42nd percentile higher than 42% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.0%

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

What does housing look like?

4,801

Total Housing Units

4,510

Occupied Units

291

Vacant Units

2.04

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 79.4%
Renter 20.6%

$211,300

Median Home Value

-19% vs state

$810

Median Rent

1972

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

+2.9%

YoY Change (2024)

237

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+137%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28690 have increased 2.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.1% 140
2021 +16.3% 163
2022 +15.1% 188
2023 +22.6% 230
2024 +2.9% 237

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 140 business establishments in ZIP 28690, employing approximately 2,865 people with a combined annual payroll of $131,755,000.

140

Businesses

2,865

Employees

$131.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 24 17.1%
Other services (except public administration) 23 16.4%
Construction 14 10.0%
Manufacturing 14 10.0%
Accommodation and food services 14 10.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 7.9%
Finance and insurance 9 6.4%
Health care and social assistance 8 5.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 7 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 5 3.6%
Wholesale trade 3 2.1%
Transportation and warehousing 3 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 2.1%

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 28690 vs 28619 →

ZIP 28690 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 28690 ranks #3 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 28690 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 28690 ranks #3 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
28619 Drexel, NC 1,520 2.4 mi
28671 Rutherford College, NC 597 2.9 mi
28612 Connelly Springs, NC 12,397 5.3 mi
28666 Icard, NC 368 5.8 mi
28667 Rhodhiss, NC 559 8.6 mi
28638 Hudson, NC 12,302 9.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Burke County

28655 standard
Morganton, NC
Pop: 54,996
28612 standard
Connelly Springs, NC
Pop: 12,397
28637 standard
Hildebran, NC
Pop: 1,746
28619 standard
Drexel, NC
Pop: 1,520
28671 standard
Rutherford College, NC
Pop: 597
28628 standard
Glen Alpine, NC
Pop: 479

Related Areas

Burke County Valdese, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28690 in? ▼
ZIP code 28690 (Valdese) is located in Burke County, North Carolina. Burke County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/burke-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28690? ▼
ZIP code 28690 in Valdese, NC has a population of 9,295 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28690? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28690 is $67,000, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28690? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28690 is $211,300, which is 24% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28690? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28690 is White at 88.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28690? ▼
ZIP code 28690 has 140 business establishments employing approximately 2,865 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28690? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28690 are: Retail trade (24), Other services (except public administration) (23), Construction (14). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28690? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28690 increased by 2.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 28690? ▼
In ZIP code 28690, 62.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.0% 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 28690? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28690 is 22.6 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 28690? ▼
In ZIP code 28690, approximately 79.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28690? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28690 is 10.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.