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ZIP Code 28684 — undefined, NC Demographics & Data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.

Middle ClassLow Snow Area

Map, Quick Facts & Location

Quick Facts

Local time
Population
1,835
Median Income
$66,123
-12% vs US avg
Home Value
$295,300
-15% vs US avg
Median Rent
$1,043
-10% vs US avg
Median Age
53.0 yrs
+36% vs US avg
City
N/A
Area Code
Congress
Top Ancestry
IrishEnglishAmerican
Scroll to load map
Location
Coordinates
36.3345, -81.6068
Elevation
3,100 ft
Land Area
52.9 sq mi
Water Area
0.2 sq mi (0% water)

At a glance

Population
1,835
Density
N/A
Median income
$66,123
-12% vs US avg
Home value
$295,300
-15% vs US avg
Median rent
$1,043
-10% vs US avg
Timezone

Overview of ZIP Code 28684

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What to know about ZIP 28684

ZIP code 28684 covers NC in Ashe County with a population of about 1,835.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 53.0 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 336, 743, 828; U.S. House district NC-5; the CHARLOTTE media market.

Income and economy in NC

Median household income in ZIP 28684 is about $66,123 — about 12% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 2.2%; unemployment rate near 3.8%; 54.3% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 20.5 points above the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Education, Retail trade, and Public administration; about 11.7% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 3.5 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Housing and affordability in ZIP 28684

Median home value is about $295,300 — about 15% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $1,043 (about 10% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 90.2% (about 24.8 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 28684 in NC, a household would need roughly $81,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,897. That is about 22% above the local median household income ($66,123), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

Climate risk and migration signals

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for NC as Relatively Low (composite score 66.8), which is near the middle of the national distribution. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (76.8) and hurricane (63.5). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for NC show little to no average snow and around 59.1 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 76 for ZIP 28684 (NC) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.

Nearby (from this ZIP)

Airport HKY (42.8 miles (68.8 km)) · Appalachian State University (9.2 miles (14.8 km)) · Andrew Johnson National Historic Site (69.7 miles (112.1 km)) · VA: Bristol, Virginia OPC (36.4 miles (58.5 km))

Full lists and map pins are in the Infrastructure section below.