Residential delivery area · North Carolina
ZIP Code 28785: Waynesville, NC
ZIP code 28785 uses the postal name Waynesville, North Carolina and lies entirely in Haywood County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 8,300 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024), the less populous of Waynesville's 2 residential ZIP codes. Median household income is $61,769 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 2% of its land lies in Lake Junaluska (a census-designated place); 98% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Waynesville · 2 residential ZIPs
- County
- Haywood County
- Census places
- Lake Junaluska census-designated place
- Micro area
- Waynesville, NC
- House district
- NC-11 119th Congress
- State
- North Carolina
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 168.4 sq mi · 49 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 28785?
28785 centers on 35.653°, -83.140° and covers 168.4 square miles of land plus 0.5 of water. It borders 9 ZIP codes: 28751, 37722, 28721, 37753, 28745, 28786, 28743, 37738, 28719.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 28785, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 28785 compare with the rest of Waynesville?
| Measure | 28785 | In Waynesville | In Haywood County | In NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 8,311 | 2nd of 2 | 4th of 7 | 339th of 853 |
| Median household income | $62k | 1st of 2 | 4th of 5 | 331st of 528 |
| Median home value | $310k | 1st of 2 | 2nd of 5 | 180th of 572 |
Its median household income is higher than in 32% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 42% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 28785?
The 2020 Census counted 8,238 people in 28785; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 8,311. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 12.3% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 8,311
- 2020 Census count
- 8,238+12.3% since 2010 (7,338)
- Households
- 3,496
- Median age
- 48.4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 28785?
Of the 8,311 people the ACS estimates in 28785, 15.8% are under 18 and 27.4% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (92.9%).
- Under 1815.8%
- 18 to 6456.9%
- 65 and older27.4%
- White, not Hispanic92.9%
- Hispanic or Latino3.4%
- Other or two or more3.2%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.5%
- Black, not Hispanic0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 28785 earn?
Median household income is $61,769 (ACS 2020-2024), the 4th highest of the 5 ranked ZIP codes in Haywood County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($75,153 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $61,769±$6,845
- Income per person
- $35,911
- Below the poverty line
- 12.2%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 2.3%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 34.6%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $71,0853,740 returns; wages 55% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 28785?
FHFA's house price index for 28785, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 102% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 60% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +5.5% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $310,300
- Median gross rent
- $1,105
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 83.3%
- Housing units
- 4,852
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 28785?
140 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 19 more than in 2018; the most are in construction (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Construction31
- Other services (except public administration)17
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services14
- Retail trade13
- Health care and social assistance13
- Professional, scientific, and technical services12
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 28785?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28751 | Maggie Valley | 4,159 | $69k | 10.3 mi |
| 37722 | Cosby, TN | 6,708 | $55k | 11.7 mi |
| 28721 | Clyde | 10,698 | $62k | 11.8 mi |
| 37753 | Hartford, TN | 917 | $49k | 11.9 mi |
| 28745 | Lake Junaluska | 670 | $118k | 13.0 mi |
| 28786 | Waynesville | 22,056 | $59k | 15.7 mi |
| 28743 | Hot Springs | 2,211 | $58k | 17.7 mi |
| 37738 | Gatlinburg, TN | 4,952 | $57k | 19.0 mi |
| 28719 | Cherokee | 6,786 | $61k | 23.5 mi |
| 37727 | Del Rio, TN | 1,936 | $48k | 17.3 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.