Leicester, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28748

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

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 13, 2026

11,334
52/sq mi: $59,013
Median income: $308,500
Median home value: 22.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Leicester pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

27th pct
household income, US ZIPs: Top 32%
home value, US ZIPs: 52
people per sq mi: 79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28748 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28748 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 218.8 square miles in Leicester, Buncombe County, North Carolina. The area is home to 11,334 residents, producing a population density of 52 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 28748 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28748 sits at $59,013 (15% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $30,535. The poverty rate stands at 13.1% and the unemployment rate at 4.1%. On housing, the median home value is $308,500 (19% above the state average) with median rent at $1,187 per month, and 78.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28748 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 22.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Buncombe County, so you can benchmark 28748 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 28748

Construction

61
Professional, scientific, and technical services

19
Other services (except public administration)

16
Retail trade

13
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services

13

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 28748, Leicester, NC · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-13 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

11,334

Population

218.8

Area (sq mi)

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 28748?

38.6

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

2.6%

Foreign-Born

White 83.7%

African American 3.2%

Asian 0.5%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 12.4%

Hispanic or Latino 6.3%

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?

$59,013

Median Household Income

-15% vs state

$30,535

Per Capita Income

13.1%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

29.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28748 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,013 27th percentile higher than 27% 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 58.9%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.8%

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

What does housing look like?

4,858

Total Housing Units

4,094

Occupied Units

764

Vacant Units

2.96

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.7%

Renter 21.3%

$308,500

Median Home Value

+19% vs state

$1,187

Median Rent

1997

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

+0.2%

YoY Change (2024)

281

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+181%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28748 have increased 0.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +181% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+0.1%	186
2021	+12.8%	210
2022	+19.3%	250
2023	+11.8%	280
2024	+0.2%	281

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 168 business establishments in ZIP 28748, employing approximately 780 people with a combined annual payroll of $33,653,000.

168

Businesses

780

Employees

$33.7M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Construction	61	36.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	19	11.3%
Other services (except public administration)	16	9.5%
Retail trade	13	7.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	13	7.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing	10	6.0%
Health care and social assistance	8	4.8%
Manufacturing	6	3.6%
Wholesale trade	6	3.6%
Transportation and warehousing	6	3.6%
Accommodation and food services	6	3.6%

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 28748 vs 28701 →

28806

38,550
28715

24,582
28748

11,334
28701

3,635

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28748 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

28701

$108,125
28715

$71,716
28806

$63,273
28748

$59,013

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28748 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
28701	Alexander, NC	3,635	7.5 mi
28715	Candler, NC	24,582	9.8 mi
28806	Asheville, NC	38,550	9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Buncombe County

Buncombe County Leicester, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28748 in? ▼

ZIP code 28748 (Leicester) 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 28748? ▼

ZIP code 28748 in Leicester, NC has a population of 11,334 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 28748? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 28748 is $59,013, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 28748? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 28748 is $308,500, which is 11% above the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28748? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 28748 is White at 83.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.3% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 28748? ▼

ZIP code 28748 has 168 business establishments employing approximately 780 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 28748? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28748 are: Construction (61), Professional, scientific, and technical services (19), Other services (except public administration) (16). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 28748? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28748 increased by 0.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 181%. 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 28748? ▼

In ZIP code 28748, 58.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.8% 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 28748? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28748 is 29.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.

What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28748? ▼

In ZIP code 28748, approximately 78.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28748? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 28748 is 13.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.