28640 ZIP Code — Jefferson, NC

Ashe County, North Carolina

ZIP code 28640 is located in Jefferson, North Carolina, within Ashe County. It covers approximately 37.06 square miles and serves a population of 5,074 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 336.

About ZIP code 28640

The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $212,800. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 70%.

Median household income is $48,417. Poverty affects 18% of residents, above the national average. 44% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with retail trade as the leading industry. The average commute of 19 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 17% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (20%) compared to national benchmarks. 15% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 28640 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

5,074

population

37.06

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

28640 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 28640

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28640. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Jefferson	Acceptable
Jefferson	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

28694 West Jefferson (4.6 mi) 28629 Glendale Springs (5 mi) 28617 Crumpler (5.8 mi) 28644 Laurel Springs (8.2 mi) 28693 Warrensville (9.1 mi) 28626 Fleetwood (9.2 mi) 28631 Grassy Creek (9.9 mi) 28643 Lansing (11.1 mi) 28663 Piney Creek (11.1 mi) 28651 Millers Creek (11.8 mi) 28649 Mc Grady (12.4 mi) 28684 Todd (12.5 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	5,074
Population density	137 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	009

Geography
Land area	37.06 sq mi
Water area	0.48 sq mi
Latitude	36.4024
Longitude	-81.4086
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	336

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	59.5%	58.6%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	25.8%	27.7%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	14.7%	12.8%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.9%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

5,074

Population

137

People per sq mi

48.6

Median age

$48,417

Median household income

$27,348

Per capita income

$212,800

Median home value

$671

Median monthly rent

70.0%

Home ownership

17.9%

Poverty rate

4.3%

Unemployment

2,192

Housing units

17.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

160

10–14

155

171

15–19

166

118

20–24

115

286

25–34

279

274

35–44

267

45–54

261

215

55–59

209

217

60–64

211

414

65–74

403

224

75–84

218

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	819	16.1%
18 and over	4,255	83.9%
65 and over	1,405	27.7%
Median age	48.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 91.8%

Two or more races 3.5%

Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

Black or African American 2.1%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%

Group	Count	%
White	4,764	91.8%
Two or more races	184	3.5%
Hispanic or Latino	113	2.2%
Black or African American	110	2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	16	0.3%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	59.5%	58.6%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	25.8%	27.7%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	14.7%	12.8%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.9%	6.0%

Under $10k 7.7%

$10k–$15k 6.7%

$15k–$25k 9.7%

$25k–$35k 13.4%

$35k–$50k 14.8%

$50k–$75k 17.5%

$75k–$100k 15.3%

$100k–$150k 7.3%

$150k–$200k 4.0%

$200k+ 3.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	7.7%
$10k–$15k	6.7%
$15k–$25k	9.7%
$25k–$35k	13.4%
$35k–$50k	14.8%
$50k–$75k	17.5%
$75k–$100k	15.3%
$100k–$150k	7.3%
$150k–$200k	4.0%
$200k+	3.7%
Median income	$48,417

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 6.5%

$50k–$100k 12.2%

$100k–$150k 17.1%

$150k–$200k 11.9%

$200k–$300k 24.5%

$300k–$500k 18.5%

$500k–$1M 9.3%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$212,800
Median rent / month	$671
Owner occupied	70.0%
Renter occupied	30.0%
Vacant	25.7%
Single-family detached	62.5%
Large apartment buildings	5.8%
Mobile homes	10.5%
Median rooms	5.1
Avg household size (owned)	2.48

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	8.0%
2000–2009	15.6%
1990–1999	18.7%
1980–1989	12.5%
1970–1979	18.5%
1960–1969	12.8%
1950–1959	9.2%
1940–1949	1.4%
1939 or earlier	3.3%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	6.8%
2 bedrooms	35.2%
3 bedrooms	36.7%
4 bedrooms	15.8%
5+ bedrooms	5.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	7.2%
1 vehicle	19.2%
2 vehicles	46.6%
3 or more	26.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	3.1%
Electricity	67.0%
Propane / LP gas	10.0%
Fuel oil	14.1%
Wood	5.7%
No fuel used	0.1%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,167	55.7%
Cohabiting couple	117	5.6%
Male householder, no spouse	333	15.9%
Female householder, no spouse	480	22.9%
Households with children under 18	398	19.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	866	41.3%
Average household size	2.30

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	28.2%	15.4%
Married	58.8%	55.8%
Separated	3.1%	5.1%
Widowed	4.8%	10.1%
Divorced	5.2%	13.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.8%

Some HS, no diploma 10.4%

HS graduate 29.4%

Some college, no degree 21.5%

Associate's degree 16.4%

Bachelor's degree 11.8%

Graduate / professional 5.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	84.8%
Bachelor's or higher	17.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	67	7.5%
Kindergarten	29	3.3%
Elementary school	376	42.3%
High school	307	34.6%
College / grad school	109	12.3%

Employment

Industry of employment

Retail trade 16.5%

Education & healthcare 16.3%

Manufacturing 12.7%

Construction 11.5%

Finance & real estate 9.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.1%

Professional & management 8.0%

Agriculture & mining 6.2%

Other services 4.9%

Wholesale trade 2.8%

Information 2.1%

Transportation & utilities 0.8%

Public administration 0.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	21.5%
Service	17.7%
Sales & office	25.4%
Natural resources & construction	18.4%
Production & transportation	16.9%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	87.8%
Government	3.7%
Self-employed	5.8%
Unpaid family workers	2.6%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	71.4%
Carpool	12.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	2.9%
Work from home	12.4%
Other means	0.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.2

Poverty

All people 17.9%

Under 18 years 21.1%

18 and over 17.3%

Married-couple families 3.5%

Female-led households 42.1%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.1%
Retirement income	20.3%
Supplemental Security	4.0%
Cash public assistance	1.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	16.9%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	33.9%
High blood pressure	39.3%
High cholesterol	38.3%
Diabetes	12.4%
Heart disease	9.2%
Stroke	4.3%
Asthma	9.1%
Arthritis	31.9%
Kidney disease	3.8%
Pulmonary disease	9.5%
Cancer	8.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	20.1%
Binge drinking	14.0%
No physical activity	25.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	29.7%
Depression	22.9%
Fair or poor health	16.9%
Poor mental health	14.2%
Poor physical health	12.7%
No health insurance	19.4%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.8%
Visited dentist	62.8%
Cholesterol screening	89.9%
Teeth loss	17.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	260	6.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	15.6%
Under 18	1.8%
18–64 years	14.9%
65 and over	26.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	60.9%
Public insurance	44.1%
No insurance	15.1%
Uninsured under 19	5.2%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	4,954	97.6%
Spanish	181	3.7%
Other Indo-European	181	3.7%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	4,873	96.0%
Born in same state	4,853	95.6%
Born in different state	3,600	70.9%
Foreign born	20	0.4%
Naturalized citizen	201	4.0%
Not a US citizen	50	24.9%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	2,163	42.6%
French	461	9.1%
Italian	345	6.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	53	1%
Polish	20	0.4%
Norwegian	7	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	41.3%
Internet access	84.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28640

What city is ZIP code 28640 in?

ZIP code 28640 is primarily assigned to Jefferson, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 28640 in?

ZIP code 28640 falls within Ashe County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 28640 have an older population?

28% of residents in ZIP code 28640 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 28640 have a large retiree population?

44% of households in ZIP code 28640 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28640?

18% of residents in ZIP code 28640 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the population of ZIP code 28640?

ZIP code 28640 has an estimated population of 5,074 residents, with a density of 137 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 28640 in?

ZIP code 28640 observes the EST timezone.