West Jefferson, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28694
Ashe County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,744
- 45/sq mi
- $58,486
- Median income
- $273,200
- Median home value
- 25.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
West Jefferson pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 26th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 38%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 45
- people per sq mi
- 80%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28694 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28694 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 171.7 square miles in West Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina. The area is home to 7,744 residents, producing a population density of 45 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 28694 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28694 sits at $58,486 (15% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $36,615. The poverty rate stands at 9.6% and the unemployment rate at 7.8%. On housing, the median home value is $273,200 (5% above the state average) with median rent at $818 per month, and 80.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28694 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 25.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.6, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Ashe County, so you can benchmark 28694 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 28694
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28694.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
58 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
35 establishments
- Construction
Construction
30 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
26 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 23
Health care and social assistance
23 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28694, West Jefferson, 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
7,744
Population
171.7
Area (sq mi)
45
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28694?
50.6
Median Age
45.4%
Male
54.6%
Female
3.6%
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?
$58,486
Median Household Income
-15% vs state
$36,615
Per Capita Income
9.6%
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Unemployment Rate
20.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28694 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$58,486 26th percentile higher than 26% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
4,847
Total Housing Units
3,678
Occupied Units
1,169
Vacant Units
2.04
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$273,200
Median Home Value
+5% vs state
$818
Median Rent
1979
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
+11.8%
YoY Change (2024)
294
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+194%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28694 have increased 11.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +194% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.3% | 162 |
| 2021 | +16.1% | 188 |
| 2022 | +26.2% | 238 |
| 2023 | +10.8% | 263 |
| 2024 | +11.8% | 294 |
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 278 business establishments in ZIP 28694, employing approximately 3,313 people with a combined annual payroll of $132,294,000.
278
Businesses
3,313
Employees
$132.3M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 58 | 20.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 35 | 12.6% |
| Construction | 30 | 10.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 26 | 9.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 23 | 8.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 21 | 7.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 18 | 6.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 17 | 6.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 11 | 4.0% |
| Manufacturing | 10 | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 2.9% |
| Information | 8 | 2.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 1.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 1.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.1% |
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 28694 vs 28626 →
ZIP 28694 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28694
West Jefferson (28694)
7,744 residents
- 28640
Jefferson (28640)
4,719 residents
- 28626 2,714
Fleetwood (28626)
2,714 residents
- 28617 2,261
Crumpler (28617)
2,261 residents
- 28684 2,141
Todd (28684)
2,141 residents
- 28693 1,700
Warrensville (28693)
1,700 residents
- 28629 75
Glendale Springs (28629)
75 residents
- 28672 35
Scottville (28672)
35 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28694 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28694 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28672
Scottville (28672)
$163,210 median income
- 28626
Fleetwood (28626)
$73,675 median income
- 28684
Todd (28684)
$69,307 median income
- 28693 $62,596
Warrensville (28693)
$62,596 median income
- 28617 $62,204
Crumpler (28617)
$62,204 median income
- 28694 $58,486
West Jefferson (28694)
$58,486 median income
- 28640 $53,155
Jefferson (28640)
$53,155 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28694 ranks #6 of 7 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Ashe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28694 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28694? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28694? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28694? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28694? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28694? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28694? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28694? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28694? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28694? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28694? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28694? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for West Jefferson, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.