PlainZIP

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 a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in West Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina, home to 7,744 residents across 171.7 square miles, a density of 45 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28694 reports a modest median household income of $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%. Housing costs here run $273,200 for a typical home value (5% above the state average), with rent averaging $818 a month; 80.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.6, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 7 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 28694, plus 6 more within Ashe County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 28694

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West Jefferson, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28694.

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 28694, West Jefferson, 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

7,744

Population

171.7

Area (sq mi)

45

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 28694?

50.6

Median Age

45.4%

Male

54.6%

Female

3.6%

Foreign-Born

White 88.2%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.9%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%

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

West Jefferson, NC 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

$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 52.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.0%

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

Owner 80.0%
Renter 20.0%

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28694 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28694 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 28694 ranks #6 of 7 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
28626 Fleetwood, NC 2,714 4.9 mi
28640 Jefferson, NC 4,719 4.6 mi
28629 Glendale Springs, NC 75 6.2 mi
28684 Todd, NC 2,141 8.0 mi
28693 Warrensville, NC 1,700 8.9 mi
28617 Crumpler, NC 2,261 9.8 mi
28672 Scottville, NC 35 11.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ashe County

28640 standard
Jefferson, NC
Pop: 4,719
28643 standard
Lansing, NC
Pop: 3,521
28626 standard
Fleetwood, NC
Pop: 2,714
28617 standard
Crumpler, NC
Pop: 2,261
28684 standard
Todd, NC
Pop: 2,141
28615 standard
Creston, NC
Pop: 1,876

Related Areas

Ashe County West Jefferson, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28694 in? ▼
ZIP code 28694 (West Jefferson) is located in Ashe County, North Carolina. Ashe County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ashe-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28694? ▼
ZIP code 28694 in West Jefferson, NC has a population of 7,744 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28694? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28694 is $58,486, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28694? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28694 is $273,200, which is 2% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28694? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28694 is White at 88.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28694? ▼
ZIP code 28694 has 278 business establishments employing approximately 3,313 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28694? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28694 are: Retail trade (58), Accommodation and food services (35), Construction (30). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28694? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28694 increased by 11.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 194%. 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 28694? ▼
In ZIP code 28694, 52.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.0% 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 28694? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28694 is 20.7 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 28694? ▼
In ZIP code 28694, approximately 80.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28694? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28694 is 9.6% 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.