Asheville, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28803
Buncombe County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 28,693
- 289/sq mi High-density area
- $76,662
- Median income Near-median income area
- $452,900
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 55.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Asheville pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 43%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 16%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 289
- people per sq mi
- 55%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28803 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 28803 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, with 28,693 residents across 99.3 square miles, a density of 289 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28803 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $76,662 (11% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $53,835. The poverty rate is 9.6%, with unemployment at 5.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $452,900 (75% above the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $1,556; 55.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 55.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.6, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Buncombe County, so 28803 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 28803
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Asheville, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28803.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
335 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
186 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
175 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
163 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 129
Other services (except public administration)
129 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28803, 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
28,693
Population
99.3
Area (sq mi)
289
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28803?
41.6
Median Age
48.2%
Male
51.8%
Female
8.7%
Foreign-Born
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?
$76,662
Median Household Income
+11% vs state ZIP avg
$53,835
Per Capita Income
9.6%
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
19.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28803 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Asheville, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$76,662 Top 28% higher than 72% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
18,441housing units
18,441
Total Housing Units
13,459
Occupied Units
4,982
Vacant Units
2.46
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$452,900
Median Home Value
+75% vs state ZIP avg
$1,556
Median Rent
1994
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
+0.3%
YoY Change (2024)
337
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+237%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28803 have increased 0.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +237% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.2% | 225 |
| 2021 | +13.4% | 255 |
| 2022 | +22.1% | 311 |
| 2023 | +7.9% | 336 |
| 2024 | +0.3% | 337 |
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 1,605 business establishments in ZIP 28803, employing approximately 24,987 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,417,648,000.
1,605
Businesses
24,987
Employees
$1.4B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 335 | 20.9% |
| Retail trade | 186 | 11.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 175 | 10.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 163 | 10.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 129 | 8.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 127 | 7.9% |
| Construction | 101 | 6.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 85 | 5.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 81 | 5.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 62 | 3.9% |
| Manufacturing | 45 | 2.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 31 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 27 | 1.7% |
| Information | 26 | 1.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 17 | 1.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 9 | 0.6% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.2% |
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 28803 vs 28801 →
ZIP 28803 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28806
Asheville (28806)
38,550 residents
- 28803
Asheville (28803)
28,693 residents
- 28804
Asheville (28804)
20,507 residents
- 28704
Arden (28704)
18,821 residents
- 28805
Asheville (28805)
17,620 residents
- 28732
Fletcher (28732)
16,491 residents
- 28801 15,019
Asheville (28801)
15,019 residents
- 28778 10,381
Swannanoa (28778)
10,381 residents
- 28730 9,133
Fairview (28730)
9,133 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28803 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28803 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28759
Mills River (28759)
$107,609 median income
- 28730
Fairview (28730)
$102,900 median income
- 28804
Asheville (28804)
$88,312 median income
- 28732
Fletcher (28732)
$81,852 median income
- 28704
Arden (28704)
$81,096 median income
- 28803
Asheville (28803)
$76,662 median income
- 28805
Asheville (28805)
$75,151 median income
- 28778
Swannanoa (28778)
$73,408 median income
- 28806
Asheville (28806)
$63,273 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28803 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28801 | Asheville, NC | 15,019 | 4.9 mi |
| 28805 | Asheville, NC | 17,620 | 6.2 mi |
| 28704 | Arden, NC | 18,821 | 5.7 mi |
| 28806 | Asheville, NC | 38,550 | 6.1 mi |
| 28732 | Fletcher, NC | 16,491 | 6.5 mi |
| 28730 | Fairview, NC | 9,133 | 8.4 mi |
| 28804 | Asheville, NC | 20,507 | 8.5 mi |
| 28778 | Swannanoa, NC | 10,381 | 8.8 mi |
| 28759 | Mills River, NC | 6,922 | 10.9 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28803, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (28,693 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Buncombe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28803 in?
ZIP code 28803 (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 28803?
ZIP code 28803 in Asheville, NC has a population of 28,693 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28803?
The median household income in ZIP 28803 is $76,662, which is 0% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28803?
The median home value in ZIP 28803 is $452,900, which is 63% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28803?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28803 is White at 80.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28803?
ZIP code 28803 has 1,605 business establishments employing approximately 24,987 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28803?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28803 are: Health care and social assistance (335), Retail trade (186), Accommodation and food services (175). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28803?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28803 increased by 0.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 237%. 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 28803?
In ZIP code 28803, 70.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 55.0% 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 28803?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28803 is 19.9 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 28803?
In ZIP code 28803, approximately 55.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 44.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28803?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28803 is 9.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
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What to do with ZIP 28803's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28803 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Asheville, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.