ZIP Codes of Buncombe County, NC

Population & People
Population & People
Total Population
269,596
Household Income
Household Income
Median Income
$80,502
Housing
Housing
Total Housing Units
132,964
Business & Economy
Business & Economy
Total Businesses
9,740
Employment
Employment
Employment Rate
56.46%
Education
Education
Bachelor's Degree+
45.98%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · rolled up across the 24 ZIPs in this county.
Data Last Updated: June 1, 2026
ZIP Codes:24 ZIP Codes (15 Standard, 9 PO Box, 0 Unique) [See All]
Area Code:828
Timezone:Eastern (GMT -05:00)
Local Time:2:12:55 PM
Population:269,596 [See All]
FIPS:37021
CBSA:Asheville, NC
Land Area:677 sq mi
Water Area:3 sq mi
Coordinates:35.5949, -82.5207
Quick Link:
https://www.zip-codes.com/county/nc-buncombe.asp
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Among North Carolina's 10 most populous counties
#7 of 100 counties with 269,596 residents.
Striking education divide
Bachelor's share spans 22.8% to 60.0% — a 37-point gap.

Standout ZIPs in this County


Most Populous
Asheville · 43,433 people
16.1% of county total
Highest Income
Alexander · $108,125 median
1.3× county average
Largest Land Area
Black Mountain · 106.8 sq mi
Spans the most ground
Fastest Growth
Alexander · 62.8% (10-yr)
3,555 → 5,786 residents
Most Educated
Asheville · 60.0% bachelor's+
11,325 of 18,878 adults 25+

Things worth knowing about Buncombe County


269,596 residents live across 24 ZIPs covering 677 sq mi, served by 14 distinct USPS-recognized cities.

Population moved from 240,560 to 269,596 from 2014 to 2024 — a +12.1% change. 13 ZIPs gained residents, 2 lost.

The county's wealthiest ZIP 28701 (Alexander, $108,125 median) and poorest ZIP 28801 (Asheville, $58,438) are 9.5 miles apart — a 1.9× income gap across local geography.

Median home values vary 1.9× across this county — from $303,300 in 28778 (Swannanoa) to $566,000 in 28804 (Asheville).

Density varies 64× across the county — from 44 people/sq mi in 28709 (Barnardsville) to 2,807 in 28801 (Asheville).

Educational attainment ranges from 22.8% bachelor's+ in 28748 (Leicester) to 60.0% in 28804 (Asheville) — the breadth of educational profiles across the area.

Within North Carolina, this is the #7 most populous of 100 counties and ranks #12 for median household income with the #24 fastest decade growth .

Weighted by population, the typical household earns about $74,957 across the county — reflecting what a typical resident sees, not a simple ZIP average.

46.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher (92,725 of 201,666 reporting). The most-educated ZIPs cluster around Asheville.

15 Standard delivery, 9 PO Box only, 0 single-entity Unique ZIPs serve this county.

All ZIP Codes in Buncombe County


ZIPCityTypePopulationMedian IncomeArea (sq mi)10-yr Growth
28806AshevilleStandard43,433$63,27349.29.7%
28803AshevilleStandard33,718$76,66236.29.5%
28715CandlerStandard30,328$71,71674.017.3%
28804AshevilleStandard25,776$88,31228.324.2%
28704ArdenStandard24,138$81,09627.417.1%
28787WeavervilleStandard22,809$78,60480.817.8%
28805AshevilleStandard19,993$75,15126.514.9%
28801AshevilleStandard14,691$58,4385.21.4%
28778SwannanoaStandard13,536$73,40833.421.3%
28711Black MountainStandard12,663$74,761106.8-0.5%
28748LeicesterStandard12,230$59,01391.80.7%
28730FairviewStandard7,605$102,90046.5-21.6%
28701AlexanderStandard5,786$108,12520.062.8%
28709BarnardsvilleStandard2,26051.47.0%
28757MontreatPO Box630$115,5680.096.3%
28770RidgecrestPO Box00.0
28814AshevillePO Box0.0
28802AshevillePO Box0.0
28728EnkaPO Box0.0
28813AshevillePO Box0.0
28776SkylandPO Box0.0
28810AshevilleStandard0.0
28816AshevillePO Box0.0
28815AshevillePO Box0.0

Adjacent & Nearby Counties