Asheville, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28805

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

17,620
262/sq mi
$75,151
Median income
$412,500
Median home value
53.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Asheville pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 45%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 19%
home value, US ZIPs
262
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28805 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28805 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 67.3 square miles in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina. The area is home to 17,620 residents, producing a population density of 262 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 28805 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28805 sits at $75,151 (9% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $45,104. The poverty rate stands at 13.0% and the unemployment rate at 2.9%. On housing, the median home value is $412,500 (59% above the state average) with median rent at $1,347 per month, and 64.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28805 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 53.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45, 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 28805 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 28805

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28805.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28805, Asheville, NC · 2023 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

17,620

Population

67.3

Area (sq mi)

262

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 28805?

45.0

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

6.7%

Foreign-Born

White 84.0%
African American 5.8%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%

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?

$75,151

Median Household Income

+9% vs state

$45,104

Per Capita Income

13.0%

Poverty Rate

2.9%

Unemployment Rate

18.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28805 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$75,151 Top 45% higher than 55% 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 74.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 53.4%

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

What does housing look like?

10,571

Total Housing Units

8,224

Occupied Units

2,347

Vacant Units

2.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.1%
Renter 35.9%

$412,500

Median Home Value

+59% vs state

$1,347

Median Rent

1985

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.0%

YoY Change (2024)

330

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+230%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28805 have increased 3.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +230% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.6% 215
2021 +11.1% 239
2022 +21.2% 290
2023 +10.6% 320
2024 +3.0% 330

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 735 business establishments in ZIP 28805, employing approximately 10,597 people with a combined annual payroll of $612,682,000.

735

Businesses

10,597

Employees

$612.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 169 23.0%
Accommodation and food services 97 13.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 77 10.5%
Health care and social assistance 76 10.3%
Other services (except public administration) 67 9.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 60 8.2%
Construction 48 6.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 32 4.3%
Finance and insurance 25 3.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 21 2.9%
Information 17 2.3%
Manufacturing 14 1.9%
Wholesale trade 12 1.6%
Transportation and warehousing 9 1.2%
Educational services 9 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 28805 vs 28778 →

ZIP 28805 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 28805 ranks #5 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 28805 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 28805 ranks #5 of 8 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
28778 Swannanoa, NC 10,381 4.2 mi
28801 Asheville, NC 15,019 4.5 mi
28804 Asheville, NC 20,507 5.2 mi
28803 Asheville, NC 28,693 6.2 mi
28787 Weaverville, NC 19,718 8.1 mi
28806 Asheville, NC 38,550 8.0 mi
28730 Fairview, NC 9,133 8.8 mi
28735 Gerton, NC 256 12.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Buncombe County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28805 in?
ZIP code 28805 (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 28805?
ZIP code 28805 in Asheville, NC has a population of 17,620 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28805?
The median household income in ZIP 28805 is $75,151, which is 1% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28805?
The median home value in ZIP 28805 is $412,500, which is 48% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28805?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28805 is White at 84.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28805?
ZIP code 28805 has 735 business establishments employing approximately 10,597 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28805?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28805 are: Retail trade (169), Accommodation and food services (97), Professional, scientific, and technical services (77). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28805?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28805 increased by 3.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 230%. 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 28805?
In ZIP code 28805, 74.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 53.4% 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 28805?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28805 is 18.7 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 28805?
In ZIP code 28805, approximately 64.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28805?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28805 is 13.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Asheville, NC

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.