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
- $56,480
- Median income
- $284,500
- Median home value
- 31.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Hayesville pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 23th 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.
ZIP code 28904 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 493.2 square miles in Hayesville, Clay County, North Carolina. The area is home to 8,533 residents, producing a population density of 17 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 28904 against North Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 28904 sits at $56,480 (18% below the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $41,833. The poverty rate stands at 13.1% and the unemployment rate at 2.3%. On housing, the median home value is $284,500 (10% above the state average) with median rent at $700 per month, and 79.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 28904 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 31.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.3, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 additional ZIPs sharing Clay County, so you can benchmark 28904 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 28904
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
$41,833
Per Capita Income
13.1%
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Unemployment Rate
23.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28904 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$56,480 23rd percentile higher than 23% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
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
$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 |
More ZIP Codes in Clay County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28904 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 28904? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 28904? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 28904? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28904? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28904? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28904? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28904? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 28904? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28904? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28904? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28904? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Hayesville, NC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.