PlainZIP

Waynesville, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28785

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

7,338
19/sq mi
$61,769
Median income
$310,300
Median home value
34.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

32th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 32%
home value, US ZIPs
19
people per sq mi
83%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28785 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28785 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waynesville, Haywood County, North Carolina, home to 7,338 residents across 394.5 square miles, a density of 19 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28785 reports a modest median household income of $61,769 (11% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $35,911. Poverty here runs at 12.2%, with unemployment measured at 2.3%. Housing costs here run $310,300 for a typical home value (20% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,105 a month; 83.3% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.4, and the average commute is 23 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 28785, plus 5 more within Haywood County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 28785

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waynesville, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28785.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 28785, Waynesville, 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

7,338

Population

394.5

Area (sq mi)

19

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 28785?

48.4

Median Age

52.1%

Male

47.9%

Female

1.7%

Foreign-Born

White 93.0%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%

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?

$61,769

Median Household Income

-11% vs state

$35,911

Per Capita Income

12.2%

Poverty Rate

2.3%

Unemployment Rate

22.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28785 ranks nationally

Waynesville, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,769 32nd percentile higher than 32% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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 55.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.6%

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

What does housing look like?

4,852

Total Housing Units

3,496

Occupied Units

1,356

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 83.3%
Renter 16.7%

$310,300

Median Home Value

+20% vs state

$1,105

Median Rent

1992

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

+0.6%

YoY Change (2024)

245

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+145%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28785 have increased 0.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +145% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.7% 160
2021 +16.1% 186
2022 +20.5% 224
2023 +8.8% 244
2024 +0.6% 245

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 140 business establishments in ZIP 28785, employing approximately 852 people with a combined annual payroll of $37,228,000.

140

Businesses

852

Employees

$37.2M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 31 22.1%
Other services (except public administration) 17 12.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 14 10.0%
Retail trade 13 9.3%
Health care and social assistance 13 9.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 12 8.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 7.1%
Accommodation and food services 9 6.4%
Transportation and warehousing 8 5.7%
Finance and insurance 4 2.9%

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 28785 vs 28721 →

ZIP 28785 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28785 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28785 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28785 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
28721 Clyde, NC 10,063 7.9 mi
28751 Maggie Valley, NC 2,916 9.3 mi
28745 Lake Junaluska, NC 551 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Haywood County

28786 standard
Waynesville, NC
Pop: 20,714
28716 standard
Canton, NC
Pop: 17,477
28721 standard
Clyde, NC
Pop: 10,063
28751 standard
Maggie Valley, NC
Pop: 2,916
28745 standard
Lake Junaluska, NC
Pop: 551

Related Areas

Haywood County Waynesville, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28785 in? ▼
ZIP code 28785 (Waynesville) is located in Haywood County, North Carolina. Haywood County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/haywood-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28785? ▼
ZIP code 28785 in Waynesville, NC has a population of 7,338 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28785? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28785 is $61,769, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28785? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28785 is $310,300, which is 12% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28785? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28785 is White at 93.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28785? ▼
ZIP code 28785 has 140 business establishments employing approximately 852 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28785? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28785 are: Construction (31), Other services (except public administration) (17), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (14). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28785? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28785 increased by 0.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 145%. 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 28785? ▼
In ZIP code 28785, 55.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.6% 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 28785? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28785 is 22.7 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 28785? ▼
In ZIP code 28785, approximately 83.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28785? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28785 is 12.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.