ZIP Code 28605, North Carolina
ZIP Code 28605 profile, demographic data, and geographic information.
ZCTA5 28605 is a 5-digit ZIP Code area located in Avery County / Caldwell County / Watauga County, North Carolina. As of official census estimates, it has a reported population of 3,883. The land area covers 32.81 sq mi. [1]
Demographics & Population
| Demographic Metric | Estimate / Count | Margin of Error | Survey Period / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 3,883 | ±624 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Median Age | 44 yrs | ±5.5 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Total Households | 1,691 | ±234 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (PEP, ACS 5-Year).
Housing & Real Estate Profile
| Housing Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Total Housing Units | 4,407 | ±316 |
| Occupied Housing Units | 1,691 | ±234 |
| Vacant Housing Units | 2,716 | ±276 |
| Median Home Value | $552,400 | ±$94,136 |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,112 | ±$82 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Economy & Workforce
| Economic Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $76,477 | ±$18,371 |
| Per Capita Income | $55,891 | ±$11,258 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.2% | ±10.4% |
| Population Below Poverty Level | 506 | ±407 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | ±4.2% |
| Civilian Labor Force, Employed | 2,034 | ±366 |
| Broadband Internet Rate | 97.3% | ±1.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Local Government & Public Administration
Authoritative general-purpose local government units serving this area
U.S. Census Bureau GUS (2026) / GMAF
| Government Unit | Unit Type | Jurisdiction Role | Contact / Address |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GUS Population: 17,811 (2024)
ID: 186746
|
County | Official County Government |
Contact: COUNTY MGR
PO BOX 640, NEWLAND NC 28657-0640
|
Education
Listing 10 local institutions (NCES 2024-2025)
External reference via K12Guides
| Institution | Type | Grades | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular School Nearby | 09-12 | Newland, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | 06-08 | Newland, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-05 | Banner Elk, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-08 | Sugar Grove, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-08 | Blowing Rock, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | 04-12 | Lenoir, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-08 | Collettsville, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-08 | Vilas, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-05 | Crossnore, NC | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-05 | Lenoir, NC |
Source: k12guides.com.
Community Facilities & Infrastructure
Displaying 10 civic institutions across 2 datasets queried
CMS • IPEDS • IMLS
| Facility Name | Category | Relationship | Address / Location | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Appalachian State University
|
College | 6.0 mi away | 287 Rivers St, Boone, NC, 28608 |
8282622000
|
|
WATAUGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 6.3 mi away | 140 QUEEN ST, BOONE, NC, 28607 |
(828) 264-8784
|
|
Lees-McRae College
|
College | 10.3 mi away | 191 Main Street, Banner Elk, NC, 28604 |
8288985241
|
|
WESTERN WATAUGA BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 10.7 mi away | 1085 OLD US HWY 421, SUGAR GROVE, NC, 28679 |
(828) 297-5515
|
|
Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine
|
College | 10.6 mi away | 207 Dale Adams Road, Sugar Grove, NC, 28679-9657 |
8282974181
|
|
AVERY COUNTY LIBRARY
|
Library | 13.3 mi away | 150 LIBRARY PL, NEWLAND, NC, 28657 |
(828) 733-9393
|
|
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
|
College | 22.3 mi away | 2855 Hickory Boulevard, Hudson, NC, 28638 |
8287262200
|
|
CALDWELL COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 17.2 mi away | 120 HOSPITAL AVE, LENOIR, NC, 28645 |
(828) 757-1270
|
|
Mayland Community College
|
College | 22.5 mi away | 200 Mayland Drive, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777 |
8287657351
|
|
ASHE COUNTY LIBRARY
|
Library | 21.8 mi away | 148 LIBRARY DR, WEST JEFFERSON, NC, 28694 |
(336) 846-2041
|
Distances calculated from authoritative source coordinates. Source: CMS, IMLS, NCES IPEDS.
Climate & Weather Observations
NOAA Monthly Climate Normals
Observation Station: Climate data reflects NOAA 1991–2020 standard normals recorded at BOONE 1 SE, NC US, located 6.5 miles from ZCTA5 28605. Local microclimates, topography, and elevation may cause municipal conditions to differ.
| Month | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Mean (°F) | Precip (in) | Snow (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41.4° | 21.6° | 31.5° | 4.39" | 6.6" |
| February | 44.7° | 23.8° | 34.2° | 3.64" | 6.7" |
| March | 51.7° | 29.2° | 40.5° | 4.77" | 4.8" |
| April | 61.7° | 36.9° | 49.3° | 5.52" | 1.0" |
| May | 69.4° | 45.8° | 57.6° | 5.46" | 0.0" |
| June | 75.8° | 53.7° | 64.7° | 5.59" | 0.0" |
| July | 79.0° | 57.7° | 68.4° | 5.11" | 0.0" |
| August | 77.8° | 56.3° | 67.1° | 5.56" | 0.0" |
| September | 72.2° | 50.3° | 61.3° | 5.73" | 0.0" |
| October | 63.0° | 39.3° | 51.2° | 4.69" | 0.3" |
| November | 53.0° | 29.6° | 41.3° | 4.44" | 1.0" |
| December | 45.0° | 24.7° | 34.9° | 4.23" | 5.2" |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020).
Local Weather Forecast
Weather forecast data is currently unavailable in the local cache.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Listing adjacent communities by spatial proximity (miles)
Proximity discovery
| Community Name | Classification | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowing Rock town | Town | 1.6 mi | — |
| Foscoe CDP | CDP | 4.9 mi | — |
| Boone town | Town | 6.1 mi | — |
| Seven Devils town | Town | 6.8 mi | — |
| Valle Crucis CDP | CDP | 8.3 mi | — |
| Grandfather Village village | Village | 9.2 mi | — |
Sources & Data Provenance
- Geographic Classification & Identifiers: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (2026) and TIGER/Line Shapefiles. GEOID: 28605. • Official Source Dataset →
- Socioeconomic & Housing Metrics: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates and Population Estimates Program (PEP). Margin of Error (MOE) intervals are reported where published; suppressed values are never estimated or replaced with false zeros.
- Civic Directory Datasets: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Hospital Directory), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES IPEDS Postsecondary Directory), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS Public Libraries Survey). Airport landing facilities are provided by airport-data.com.
- Weather & Climate Observations: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 and National Weather Service (NWS) point forecasts.