PlainZIP

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 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 North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $41,833. Poverty here runs at 13.1%, with unemployment measured at 2.3%. Housing costs here run $284,500 for a typical home value (10% above the state average), with rent averaging $700 a month; 79.5% of 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. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 28904, plus 2 more within Clay 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 28904

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hayesville, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28904.

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 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

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 28904?

56.3

Median Age

49.7%

Male

50.3%

Female

3.8%

Foreign-Born

White 93.2%
African American 1.6%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%

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

Hayesville, NC 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

$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 56.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.8%

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

Owner 79.5%
Renter 20.5%

$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

28902 standard
Brasstown, NC
Pop: 1,373
28909 standard
Warne, NC
Pop: 1,030

Related Areas

Clay County Hayesville, NC North Carolina

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.