Hayesville, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28904
Clay County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,533
- 17/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $56,480
- Median income Below-median income area
- $284,500
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 31.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Hayesville pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 23rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 36%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 17
- people per sq mi
- 80%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28904 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28904 (Hayesville, NC) rose +15.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 228.7 in 2023 to 264.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 28904 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hayesville, Clay County, North Carolina, home to 8,533 residents across 493.2 square miles, a density of 17 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28904 reports a modest median household income of $56,480 (18% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $41,833. The poverty rate is 13.1%, with unemployment at 2.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $284,500 (10% above the average North Carolina ZIP) and median rent is $700; 79.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.3, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 more in Clay County, so 28904 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 28904
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hayesville, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28904.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
37 establishments
- Construction
Construction
36 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
25 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
23 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
20 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 28904, Hayesville, 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
8,533
Population
493.2
Area (sq mi)
17
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28904?
56.3
Median Age
49.7%
Male
50.3%
Female
3.8%
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?
$56,480
Median Household Income
-18% vs state ZIP avg
$41,833
Per Capita Income
13.1%
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Unemployment Rate
23.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28904 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Hayesville, 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)
$56,480 30th percentile higher than 30% 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
6,514housing units
6,514
Total Housing Units
4,534
Occupied Units
1,980
Vacant Units
2.19
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$284,500
Median Home Value
+10% vs state ZIP avg
$700
Median Rent
1991
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
+15.4%
YoY Change (2024)
264
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+164%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 28904 have increased 15.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +164% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.6% | 152 |
| 2021 | +13.0% | 172 |
| 2022 | +30.3% | 224 |
| 2023 | +1.9% | 229 |
| 2024 | +15.4% | 264 |
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 219 business establishments in ZIP 28904, employing approximately 1,694 people with a combined annual payroll of $68,594,000.
219
Businesses
1,694
Employees
$68.6M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 37 | 16.9% |
| Construction | 36 | 16.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 25 | 11.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 23 | 10.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 20 | 9.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 15 | 6.8% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 5.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 11 | 5.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 10 | 4.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 4.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 3.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 2.3% |
| Information | 4 | 1.8% |
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 28904 vs 28901 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28901 | Andrews, NC | 5,354 | 10.5 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28904, 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 (8,533 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Clay County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28904 in?
ZIP code 28904 (Hayesville) is located in Clay County, North Carolina. Clay County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/clay-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28904?
ZIP code 28904 in Hayesville, NC has a population of 8,533 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28904?
The median household income in ZIP 28904 is $56,480, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28904?
The median home value in ZIP 28904 is $284,500, which is 2% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28904?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28904 is White at 93.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28904?
ZIP code 28904 has 219 business establishments employing approximately 1,694 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28904?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28904 are: Retail trade (37), Construction (36), Other services (except public administration) (25). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28904?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28904 increased by 15.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 164%. 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 28904?
In ZIP code 28904, 56.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.8% 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 28904?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28904 is 23.6 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 28904?
In ZIP code 28904, approximately 79.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28904?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28904 is 13.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28904's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28904 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Hayesville, 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.