Arden, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28704
Buncombe County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,821
- 220/sq mi High-density area
- $81,096
- Median income Near-median income area
- $390,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 40.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Arden pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 37%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 22%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 220
- people per sq mi
- 59%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28704 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28704 (Arden, NC) rose +6.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 286.6 in 2023 to 306.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28704 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Arden, Buncombe County, North Carolina, home to 18,821 residents across 85.7 square miles, a density of 220 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28704 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $81,096 (17% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,301. The poverty rate is 6.4%, with unemployment at 5.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $390,000 (50% above the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $1,400; 59.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 40.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Buncombe County, so 28704 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 28704
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Arden, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28704.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
122 establishments
- Construction
Construction
90 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
88 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
86 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
70 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28704, Arden, 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
18,821
Population
85.7
Area (sq mi)
220
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28704?
40.3
Median Age
50.8%
Male
49.2%
Female
9.7%
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?
$81,096
Median Household Income
+17% vs state ZIP avg
$46,301
Per Capita Income
6.4%
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Unemployment Rate
20.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28704 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Arden, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$81,096 Top 21% higher than 79% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
11,931housing units
11,931
Total Housing Units
8,810
Occupied Units
3,121
Vacant Units
2.72
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$390,000
Median Home Value
+50% vs state ZIP avg
$1,400
Median Rent
2001
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
+6.9%
YoY Change (2024)
306
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+206%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28704 have increased 6.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +206% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.0% | 195 |
| 2021 | +14.0% | 222 |
| 2022 | +15.7% | 257 |
| 2023 | +11.5% | 287 |
| 2024 | +6.9% | 306 |
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 843 business establishments in ZIP 28704, employing approximately 17,611 people with a combined annual payroll of $850,597,000.
843
Businesses
17,611
Employees
$850.6M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 122 | 14.5% |
| Construction | 90 | 10.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 88 | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 86 | 10.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 70 | 8.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 65 | 7.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 64 | 7.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 62 | 7.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 44 | 5.2% |
| Manufacturing | 43 | 5.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 41 | 4.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 24 | 2.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 15 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 12 | 1.4% |
| Information | 11 | 1.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.4% |
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 28704 vs 28759 →
ZIP 28704 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28806
Asheville (28806)
38,550 residents
- 28803
Asheville (28803)
28,693 residents
- 28715
Candler (28715)
24,582 residents
- 28704
Arden (28704)
18,821 residents
- 28732
Fletcher (28732)
16,491 residents
- 28801 15,019
Asheville (28801)
15,019 residents
- 28791 14,171
Hendersonville (28791)
14,171 residents
- 28759 6,922
Mills River (28759)
6,922 residents
- 28729 2,894
Etowah (28729)
2,894 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28704 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28704 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28759
Mills River (28759)
$107,609 median income
- 28742
Horse Shoe (28742)
$99,007 median income
- 28729
Etowah (28729)
$84,413 median income
- 28732
Fletcher (28732)
$81,852 median income
- 28704
Arden (28704)
$81,096 median income
- 28791
Hendersonville (28791)
$78,827 median income
- 28803
Asheville (28803)
$76,662 median income
- 28715
Candler (28715)
$71,716 median income
- 28806
Asheville (28806)
$63,273 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28704 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28759 | Mills River, NC | 6,922 | 5.5 mi |
| 28803 | Asheville, NC | 28,693 | 5.7 mi |
| 28732 | Fletcher, NC | 16,491 | 6.3 mi |
| 28742 | Horse Shoe, NC | 2,710 | 6.5 mi |
| 28806 | Asheville, NC | 38,550 | 7.9 mi |
| 28801 | Asheville, NC | 15,019 | 9.2 mi |
| 28729 | Etowah, NC | 2,894 | 9.9 mi |
| 28791 | Hendersonville, NC | 14,171 | 8.2 mi |
| 28715 | Candler, NC | 24,582 | 8.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28704, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (18,821 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Buncombe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28704 in?
ZIP code 28704 (Arden) 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 28704?
ZIP code 28704 in Arden, NC has a population of 18,821 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28704?
The median household income in ZIP 28704 is $81,096, which is 6% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28704?
The median home value in ZIP 28704 is $390,000, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28704?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28704 is White at 71.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28704?
ZIP code 28704 has 843 business establishments employing approximately 17,611 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28704?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28704 are: Retail trade (122), Construction (90), Health care and social assistance (88). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28704?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28704 increased by 6.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 206%. 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 28704?
In ZIP code 28704, 64.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 40.7% 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 28704?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28704 is 20.4 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 28704?
In ZIP code 28704, approximately 59.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 40.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28704?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28704 is 6.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28704's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28704 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Arden, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.