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North Carolina ZIP Codes
Burke County
Valdese, NC
28690
28690 ZIP Code — Valdese, NC
Burke County, North Carolina
ZIP code 28690 is located in
Valdese ,
North Carolina ,
within Burke County .
It covers approximately 21.54 square miles and serves a population of
9,212 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone,
served by area code 828 .
About ZIP code 28690
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $163,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 80%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $66,250. 41% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 22 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 28% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks.
Overall, ZIP code 28690 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.
28690 ZIP code map
View map of 28690
Cities in ZIP code 28690
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 28690. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
Nearby ZIP codes
Demographics
updated 05/2026
Population
Total population
9,212
Population density
428 / sq mi
State FIPS
37
County FIPS
023
Geography
Land area
21.54 sq mi
Water area
0.12 sq mi
Latitude
35.7332
Longitude
-81.5812
Timezone
Eastern (ET)
Area code
828
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
50.3%
55.7%
44.4%
$50k – $100k
31.9%
29.5%
30.6%
$100k – $200k
15.1%
12.5%
19.1%
Over $200k
2.7%
2.3%
6.0%
Demographics & statistics
$66,250
Median household income
$163,400
Median home value
28.2%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 1,678 18.2% 18 and over 7,534 81.8% 65 and over 2,260 24.5% Median age 48.3 years
Race & ethnicity
Black or African American
0.6%
Group Count % White 8,578 91.9% Two or more races 249 2.7% Asian 213 2.3% Hispanic or Latino 120 1.3% Other race 120 1.3% Black or African American 52 0.6%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
50.3%
55.7%
44.4%
$50k – $100k
31.9%
29.5%
30.6%
$100k – $200k
15.1%
12.5%
19.1%
Over $200k
2.7%
2.3%
6.0%
Range % of households Under $10k 4.7% $10k–$15k 5.4% $15k–$25k 11.6% $25k–$35k 7.5% $35k–$50k 11.6% $50k–$75k 16.7% $75k–$100k 13.9% $100k–$150k 16.6% $150k–$200k 6.0% $200k+ 6.1% Median income $66,250
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $163,400 Median rent / month $638 Owner occupied 79.9% Renter occupied 20.1% Vacant 7.1% Single-family detached 77.1% Large apartment buildings 1.4% Mobile homes 10.4% Median rooms 5.7 Avg household size (owned) 2.32
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 0.3% 2010–2019 2.7% 2000–2009 6.7% 1990–1999 11.8% 1980–1989 16.3% 1970–1979 17.3% 1960–1969 14.9% 1950–1959 11.2% 1940–1949 7.5% 1939 or earlier 11.3%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 0.4% 1 bedroom 6.4% 2 bedrooms 30.5% 3 bedrooms 46.9% 4 bedrooms 11.6% 5+ bedrooms 4.1%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 1.7% 1 vehicle 33.9% 2 vehicles 31.4% 3 or more 33.0%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Utility gas 15.3% Electricity 67.9% Propane / LP gas 3.5% Fuel oil 6.5% Wood 3.8% Solar 0.9% No fuel used 1.5%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 2,120 50.9% Cohabiting couple 263 6.3% Male householder, no spouse 573 13.8% Female householder, no spouse 1,209 29.0% Households with children under 18 996 23.9% Households with seniors (65+) 1,620 38.9% Average household size 2.21
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 21.5% 16.4% Married 60.0% 51.8% Separated 2.4% 4.3% Widowed 6.2% 12.4% Divorced 9.9% 15.1%
Education
Some college, no degree
17.7%
Graduate / professional
11.2%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 92.8% Bachelor's or higher 28.2%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 18 1.1% Kindergarten 47 2.8% Elementary school 832 50.4% High school 376 22.8% College / grad school 378 22.9%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
20.3%
Public administration
9.2%
Arts, food & hospitality
7.7%
Transportation & utilities
7.0%
Professional & management
6.6%
Finance & real estate
3.6%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 32.2% Service 19.8% Sales & office 22.2% Natural resources & construction 8.5% Production & transportation 17.3%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 75.7% Government 18.5% Self-employed 5.8% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 88.9% Carpool 2.9% Public transit 0.0% Walk 1.0% Work from home 7.3% Other means 0.0% Avg commute (minutes) 22.3
Poverty
Married-couple families
1.3%
Female-led households
15.7%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 40.8% Retirement income 29.9% Supplemental Security 3.1% Cash public assistance 0.9% Food stamps / SNAP 12.2%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 31.7% High blood pressure 36.5% High cholesterol 36.6% Diabetes 11.3% Heart disease 8.1% Stroke 3.7% Asthma 9.2% Arthritis 28.8% Kidney disease 3.4% Pulmonary disease 8.7% Cancer 7.8%
Behavior / access % Smoking 20.6% Binge drinking 15.0% No physical activity 25.4% Less than 7 hrs sleep 33.0% Depression 25.0% Fair or poor health 15.7% Poor mental health 14.5% Poor physical health 12.0% No health insurance 17.0% Visited doctor (checkup) 79.5% Visited dentist 61.5% Cholesterol screening 90.1% Teeth loss 16.1%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 612 8.1%
Disability % Any disability 16.4% Under 18 2.6% 18–64 years 8.9% 65 and over 44.0%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 77.1% Public insurance 41.0% No insurance 5.3% Uninsured under 19 0.9%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 8,764 95.1% Spanish 233 2.7% Other Indo-European 135 1.5% Asian & Pacific Islander 6 0.1% Other languages 92 1.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 8,896 96.6% Born in same state 8,873 96.3% Born in different state 7,225 78.4% Foreign born 23 0.2% Naturalized citizen 316 3.4% Not a US citizen 254 80.4%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count % Arab 2,238 24.3% French 1,026 11.1% Italian 769 8.3%
Ancestry Count % German 48 0.5% English 43 0.5%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 45.2% Internet access 89.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 28690
What city is ZIP code 28690 in?
ZIP code 28690 is primarily assigned to Valdese, North Carolina.
What county is ZIP code 28690 in?
ZIP code 28690 falls within Burke County, North Carolina.
Does ZIP code 28690 have a large retiree population?
41% of households in ZIP code 28690 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 28690?
The median home value in ZIP code 28690 is $163,400.
What is the population of ZIP code 28690?
ZIP code 28690 has an estimated population of 9,212 residents, with a density of 428 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 28690?
The median household income in ZIP code 28690 is $66,250, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 28690 in?
ZIP code 28690 observes the EST timezone.
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