ZIP Code 28697

ZIP code 28697 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 164.5 square miles in Wilkesboro, Wilkes County, North Carolina. The area is home to 12,930 residents, producing a population density of 79 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 28697 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28697 sits at $52,988 (23% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $29,097. The poverty rate stands at 14.6% and the unemployment rate at 3.8%. On housing, the median home value is $218,500 (16% below the state average) with median rent at $768 per month, and 66.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28697 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 23.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.4, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wilkes County, so you can benchmark 28697 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 →