PlainZIP

Alexander, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28701

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

3,635
79/sq mi
$108,125
Median income
$324,300
Median home value
44.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Alexander pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 14%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 30%
home value, US ZIPs
79
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28701 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28701 covers 46.1 square miles in Alexander, Buncombe County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,635 residents on file, a density of 79 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28701 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $108,125 (56% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $39,819. Poverty here runs at 4.8%, with unemployment measured at 2.8%. On housing, the median home value is $324,300 (25% above the state average) with median rent at $1,128 per month, and 86.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 44.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.7, and the average commute is -. To put 28701 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Buncombe County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 28701

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Alexander, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28701.

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 28701, Alexander, 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

3,635

Population

46.1

Area (sq mi)

79

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 28701?

40.7

Median Age

39.8%

Male

60.2%

Female

6.6%

Foreign-Born

White 88.4%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$108,125

Median Household Income

+56% vs state

$39,819

Per Capita Income

4.8%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 28701 ranks nationally

Alexander, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$108,125 Top 14% higher than 86% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 44.9%

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

What does housing look like?

1,935

Total Housing Units

1,710

Occupied Units

225

Vacant Units

3.38

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.5%
Renter 13.5%

$324,300

Median Home Value

+25% vs state

$1,128

Median Rent

1998

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

-4.5%

YoY Change (2024)

277

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+177%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28701 have decreased 4.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +177% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.8% 194
2021 +17.3% 228
2022 +22.2% 278
2023 +4.4% 291
2024 -4.5% 277

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 55 business establishments in ZIP 28701, employing approximately 157 people with a combined annual payroll of $8,427,000.

55

Businesses

157

Employees

$8.4M

Annual Payroll

5

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 22 40.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 9 16.4%
Other services (except public administration) 6 10.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 9.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 7.3%

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 28701 vs 28804 →

ZIP 28701 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 28701 ranks #6 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 28701 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 28701 ranks the highest 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
28804 Asheville, NC 20,507 5.7 mi
28787 Weaverville, NC 19,718 6.8 mi
28806 Asheville, NC 38,550 9.1 mi
28748 Leicester, NC 11,334 7.5 mi
28801 Asheville, NC 15,019 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Buncombe County

28806 standard
Asheville, NC
Pop: 38,550
28803 standard
Asheville, NC
Pop: 28,693
28715 standard
Candler, NC
Pop: 24,582
28804 standard
Asheville, NC
Pop: 20,507
28787 standard
Weaverville, NC
Pop: 19,718
28704 standard
Arden, NC
Pop: 18,821

Related Areas

Buncombe County Alexander, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28701 in? ▼
ZIP code 28701 (Alexander) is located in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Buncombe County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/buncombe-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28701? ▼
ZIP code 28701 in Alexander, NC has a population of 3,635 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28701? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28701 is $108,125, which is 42% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28701? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28701 is $324,300, which is 17% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28701? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28701 is White at 88.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28701? ▼
ZIP code 28701 has 55 business establishments employing approximately 157 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28701? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28701 are: Construction (22), Professional, scientific, and technical services (9), Other services (except public administration) (6). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28701? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28701 decreased by 4.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 177%. 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 28701? ▼
In ZIP code 28701, 62.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 44.9% 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 28701? ▼
In ZIP code 28701, approximately 86.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28701? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28701 is 4.8% 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.