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ZipNumbers

Buncombe County · North Carolina

ZIP code 28778

Population, income, housing costs and the sales tax rate charged on purchases inside ZIP 28778 — Census 2019-2023 ACS 5-year, no modelled estimates.
Population
11,933

ZCTA residents

Median income
$72,717

Household, past 12 months

Median home
$273,800

Owner-occupied value

Sales tax
4.75%

North Carolina state rate

Quick answer

ZIP 28778 sits in Buncombe County, North Carolina and is home to 11,933 people. Median household income is $72,717, the median home is worth $273,800 and median gross rent is $1,004. 79.6% of households own their home, and purchases are taxed at 4.75% (North Carolina state rate).

County
Buncombe County

FIPS 37021

State
North Carolina (NC)

853 ZIPs covered

Area codes
Not published

No NANPA match for this ZIP

Metro area
Outside covered metros

Rate jurisdiction used for tax

The numbers for 28778

American Community Survey 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates for this ZCTA.

Population
11,933ZIP 28778 residents
Median household income
$72,717Past 12 months, inflation adjusted
Median home value
$273,800Owner-occupied units
Median gross rent
$1,004Rent plus utilities, monthly
Median age
41.5 yrsAll residents
Homeownership rate
79.6%Owner-occupied households

Sales tax in 28778

What a purchase inside this ZIP costs at checkout.

Rate applied
4.75%State base rate only
Tax on $100
$5Rounded to the dollar
Tax on $1,000
$48Before any exemptions

North Carolina levies 4.75% statewide, and counties, cities and special districts inside this ZIP can add their own local rate on top. Check the county page for the local component before you quote a price.

Affordability in this ZIP

Derived from the Census medians above — indicative, not an offer.

Rent burden
17%Median rent ÷ median income
Price-to-income
3.8×Home value ÷ household income
Est. mortgage
$1,421/mo20% down, 30-yr at 6.75%
Poverty rate
11.2%Residents below poverty line

A rent burden above 30% is the federal threshold for cost-burdened households, and a price-to-income multiple above 4× is generally considered a stretched housing market. The mortgage figure is principal and interest only — taxes, insurance and HOA dues are extra.

How 28778 compares

ZIP 28778 against the median ZIP in Buncombe County and across North Carolina.

MeasureZIP 28778County medianState medianvs state
Median household income$72,717$71,834$62,646+16%
Median home value$273,800$357,850$203,100+35%
Median gross rent$1,004$1,216$941+7%
Population11,93313,2515,300+125%

Medians are computed across the 16 ZIP areas in Buncombe County and the 853 ZIP areas in North Carolina.

Statewide rank

Where this ZIP places among all 853 North Carolina ZIP areas.

Income

richer than 69% of 766 state ZIPs

#236
Home value

above 71% of 763 state ZIPs

#220
Population

larger than 67% of 853 state ZIPs

#281

Comparable ZIP codes

North Carolina ZIP areas with almost the same household income.

ZIPCountyIncomeHome valueRent
27604Wake County$72,793$293,100$1,386
27568Johnston County$72,639$233,100$881
28467Brunswick County$72,840$281,000$1,346
28768Transylvania County$72,567$299,500$819
28385Sampson County$72,500$129,400$546
28205Mecklenburg County$72,479$410,800$1,376

Nearby ZIP codes

Other ZIP codes filed under Buncombe County.

ZIP 28778 questions

Common questions about this ZIP code.

Where is ZIP code 28778?
ZIP 28778 lies mostly in Buncombe County, North Carolina. County assignment follows the largest share of land area, so a ZIP straddling a county line is filed under its dominant county.
What sales tax do I pay in 28778?
North Carolina charges 4.75% statewide, plus any county, city or district rate that applies locally.
Is 28778 expensive to live in?
Median rent runs $1,004 a month, about 17% of median household income, and the median home is worth $273,800+35% against the typical North Carolina ZIP.
Is a ZCTA the same as a postal ZIP code?
Not exactly. The Census builds ZIP Code Tabulation Areas from the ZIP codes of addresses inside each census block, so a ZCTA can differ slightly from the USPS delivery route of the same number, and PO-box-only ZIPs have no ZCTA at all.

Related pages for this area.

Sources & transparency

Every figure on this page is a published estimate for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 28778, except the affordability ratios and mortgage estimate, which we derive from those medians and label as estimates.

Last reviewed December 2024. Figures are published for reference and can change; verify with the source agency before filing or contracting. How we build and check this data.