Swannanoa, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28778

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

10,381
117/sq mi: $73,408
Median income: $303,300
Median home value: 31.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 48%
household income, US ZIPs: Top 33%
home value, US ZIPs: 117
people per sq mi: 77%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28778 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28778 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 89.0 square miles in Swannanoa, Buncombe County, North Carolina. The area is home to 10,381 residents, producing a population density of 117 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 28778 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28778 sits at $73,408 (6% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $28,241. The poverty rate stands at 15.0% and the unemployment rate at 7.2%. On housing, the median home value is $303,300 (17% above the state average) with median rent at $994 per month, and 77.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28778 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 31.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.8, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 8 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Buncombe County, so you can benchmark 28778 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 28778

Construction

42
Other services (except public administration)

31
Retail trade

30
Professional, scientific, and technical services

30
Real estate and rental and leasing

19

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 28778, Swannanoa, 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

10,381

Population

89.0

Area (sq mi)

117

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 28778?

40.8

Median Age

47.9%

Male

52.1%

Female

10.6%

Foreign-Born

White 77.2%

African American 6.3%

Asian 1.7%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 11.6%

Hispanic or Latino 13.5%

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?

$73,408

Median Household Income

+6% vs state

$28,241

Per Capita Income

15.0%

Poverty Rate

7.2%

Unemployment Rate

18.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28778 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$73,408 Top 48% higher than 52% 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 61.0%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.5%

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

What does housing look like?

4,919

Total Housing Units

3,931

Occupied Units

988

Vacant Units

3.24

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 77.1%

Renter 22.9%

$303,300

Median Home Value

+17% vs state

$994

Median Rent

1987

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

+7.8%

YoY Change (2024)

342

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+242%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28778 have increased 7.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +242% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+2.5%	208
2021	+12.9%	235
2022	+23.2%	290
2023	+9.7%	318
2024	+7.8%	342

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 248 business establishments in ZIP 28778, employing approximately 2,819 people with a combined annual payroll of $130,317,000.

248

Businesses

2,819

Employees

$130.3M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Construction	42	16.9%
Other services (except public administration)	31	12.5%
Retail trade	30	12.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	30	12.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing	19	7.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	17	6.8%
Health care and social assistance	17	6.8%
Accommodation and food services	16	6.5%
Manufacturing	13	5.2%
Wholesale trade	9	3.6%
Transportation and warehousing	5	2.0%
Finance and insurance	5	2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	5	2.0%
Educational services	4	1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises	3	1.2%

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 28778 vs 28805 →

28803

28,693
28787

19,718
28805

17,620
28711

13,209
28778

10,381
28730

9,133
28709

2,225
28757

280
28735

256

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28778 ranks #5 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

28757

$115,568
28730

$102,900
28787

$78,604
28803

$76,662
28805

$75,151
28711

$74,761
28778

$73,408

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28778 ranks #7 of 7 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
28805	Asheville, NC	17,620	4.2 mi
28730	Fairview, NC	9,133	6.7 mi
28757	Montreat, NC	280	6.0 mi
28711	Black Mountain, NC	13,209	6.7 mi
28709	Barnardsville, NC	2,225	10.1 mi
28735	Gerton, NC	256	10.3 mi
28803	Asheville, NC	28,693	8.8 mi
28787	Weaverville, NC	19,718	10.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Buncombe County

Buncombe County Swannanoa, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28778 in? ▼

ZIP code 28778 (Swannanoa) 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 28778? ▼

ZIP code 28778 in Swannanoa, NC has a population of 10,381 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 28778? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 28778 is $73,408, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 28778? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 28778 is $303,300, which is 9% above the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28778? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 28778 is White at 77.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.5% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 28778? ▼

ZIP code 28778 has 248 business establishments employing approximately 2,819 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 28778? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28778 are: Construction (42), Other services (except public administration) (31), Retail trade (30). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 28778? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28778 increased by 7.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 242%. 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 28778? ▼

In ZIP code 28778, 61.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.5% 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 28778? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28778 is 18.9 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 28778? ▼

In ZIP code 28778, approximately 77.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28778? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 28778 is 15.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.