Bakersville, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28705
Mitchell County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,715
- 21/sq mi
- $54,858
- Median income
- $220,600
- Median home value
- 26.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Bakersville pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 21th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 49th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 21
- people per sq mi
- 76%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28705 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28705 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 326.0 square miles in Bakersville, Mitchell County, North Carolina. The area is home to 6,715 residents, producing a population density of 21 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 28705 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28705 sits at $54,858 (21% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $35,764. The poverty rate stands at 11.6% and the unemployment rate at 7.6%. On housing, the median home value is $220,600 (15% below the state average) with median rent at $864 per month, and 76.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28705 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 26.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.5, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 1 additional ZIPs sharing Mitchell County, so you can benchmark 28705 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 28705
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28705.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
15 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
14 establishments
- Construction
Construction
12 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
11 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
6 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 28705, Bakersville, 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
6,715
Population
326.0
Area (sq mi)
21
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28705?
44.5
Median Age
47.1%
Male
52.9%
Female
1.3%
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?
$54,858
Median Household Income
-21% vs state
$35,764
Per Capita Income
11.6%
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Unemployment Rate
25.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28705 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$54,858 21st percentile higher than 21% 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?
3,875
Total Housing Units
2,739
Occupied Units
1,136
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$220,600
Median Home Value
-15% vs state
$864
Median Rent
1976
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 88 business establishments in ZIP 28705, employing approximately 918 people with a combined annual payroll of $40,051,000.
88
Businesses
918
Employees
$40.1M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 15 | 17.1% |
| Retail trade | 14 | 15.9% |
| Construction | 12 | 13.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 11 | 12.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 6.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 5.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 4.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 4.5% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 3.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 3.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.4% |
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 28705 vs 28740 →
ZIP 28705 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28777
Spruce Pine (28777)
10,638 residents
- 28705
Bakersville (28705)
6,715 residents
- 37687
Roan Mountain (37687)
5,038 residents
- 37692
Unicoi (37692)
4,770 residents
- 28740 1,364
Green Mountain (28740)
1,364 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28705 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28705 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28777
Spruce Pine (28777)
$63,378 median income
- 28705
Bakersville (28705)
$54,858 median income
- 37692
Unicoi (37692)
$53,531 median income
- 37687
Roan Mountain (37687)
$49,914 median income
- 28740
Green Mountain (28740)
$48,214 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28705 ranks #2 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Mitchell County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28705 in? ▼
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What is the median household income in ZIP 28705? ▼
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What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28705? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28705? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28705? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28705? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28705? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28705? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Bakersville, 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.