PlainZIP

Asheville, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28801

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

15,019
1,142/sq mi
$58,438
Median income
$548,100
Median home value
54.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Asheville pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

26th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 11%
home value, US ZIPs
1,142
people per sq mi
37%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28801 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28801 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, home to 15,019 residents across 13.2 square miles, a density of 1,142 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28801 reports a modest median household income of $58,438 (16% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $44,456. Poverty here runs at 27.3%, with unemployment measured at 3.7%. Housing costs here run $548,100 for a typical home value (111% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,232 a month; 37.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 54.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.1, and the average commute is 15 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 8 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 28801, plus 6 more within Buncombe 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 28801

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Asheville, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28801.

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 28801, Asheville, 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

15,019

Population

13.2

Area (sq mi)

1,142

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 28801?

43.1

Median Age

46.1%

Male

53.9%

Female

3.2%

Foreign-Born

White 75.0%
African American 16.0%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

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?

$58,438

Median Household Income

-16% vs state

$44,456

Per Capita Income

27.3%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

14.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28801 ranks nationally

Asheville, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$58,438 26th percentile higher than 26% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 72.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 54.4%

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

What does housing look like?

9,014

Total Housing Units

6,247

Occupied Units

2,767

Vacant Units

2.23

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 37.0%
Renter 63.0%

$548,100

Median Home Value

+111% vs state

$1,232

Median Rent

1963

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

+10.0%

YoY Change (2024)

471

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+371%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28801 have increased 10.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +371% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.1% 303
2021 +12.5% 341
2022 +23.2% 420
2023 +1.9% 429
2024 +10.0% 471

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 1,812 business establishments in ZIP 28801, employing approximately 22,808 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,348,039,000.

1,812

Businesses

22,808

Employees

$1.3B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 354 19.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 320 17.7%
Accommodation and food services 235 13.0%
Retail trade 204 11.3%
Other services (except public administration) 156 8.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 133 7.3%
Finance and insurance 82 4.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 61 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 53 2.9%
Construction 49 2.7%
Manufacturing 43 2.4%
Wholesale trade 35 1.9%
Information 35 1.9%
Educational services 35 1.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 9 0.5%
Transportation and warehousing 6 0.3%

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 28801 vs 28804 →

ZIP 28801 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 28801 ranks #8 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 28801 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 28801 ranks #9 of 9 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
28804 Asheville, NC 20,507 3.7 mi
28806 Asheville, NC 38,550 3.5 mi
28805 Asheville, NC 17,620 4.5 mi
28803 Asheville, NC 28,693 4.9 mi
28704 Arden, NC 18,821 9.2 mi
28787 Weaverville, NC 19,718 9.3 mi
28701 Alexander, NC 3,635 8.8 mi
28732 Fletcher, NC 16,491 11.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Buncombe County

28806 standard
Asheville, NC
Pop: 38,550
28803 standard
Asheville, NC
Pop: 28,693
28715 standard
Candler, NC
Pop: 24,582
28804 standard
Asheville, NC
Pop: 20,507
28787 standard
Weaverville, NC
Pop: 19,718
28704 standard
Arden, NC
Pop: 18,821

Related Areas

Buncombe County Asheville, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28801 in? ▼
ZIP code 28801 (Asheville) 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 28801? ▼
ZIP code 28801 in Asheville, NC has a population of 15,019 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28801? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28801 is $58,438, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28801? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28801 is $548,100, which is 97% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28801? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28801 is White at 75.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28801? ▼
ZIP code 28801 has 1,812 business establishments employing approximately 22,808 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28801? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28801 are: Health care and social assistance (354), Professional, scientific, and technical services (320), Accommodation and food services (235). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28801? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28801 increased by 10.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 371%. 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 28801? ▼
In ZIP code 28801, 72.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 54.4% 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 28801? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28801 is 14.8 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 28801? ▼
In ZIP code 28801, approximately 37.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 63.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28801? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28801 is 27.3% 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.