ZIP Code · NC

ZIP 28803

Part of Asheville, NC

Pop. 33,718·Buncombe County·109th most expensive ZIP in North Carolina

Median rent (all units)

$1,679/mo

Year-over-Year

-1.8%

Month-over-Month

-0.2%

vs US Median

-$253

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 28803 · $1,679

More affordable than 60% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,620

1 BR

$1,890

2 BR

$2,070

3 BR

$2,520

4 BR+

$3,470

Research median

$2,070/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

December. Asking rents in ZIP 28803 usually run 0.7% below trend in December and 0.6% above it in March, about $22 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 28803 is 7% below its high of $1,806 in August 2024, at $1,679 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of North Carolina

Rent in ZIP 28803 changed -1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 28803 rose 48.7% while median household income rose 44.6% ($53,023 to $76,662). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 28803 is 39.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has fallen 4 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($76,662) is $1,917 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,890); a 2-bedroom is $2,070.

Rank in Asheville

3rd cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Asheville.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28803. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$20,148/yr

At $1,679/mo median

Location

CityAsheville

StateNC

CountyBuncombe County

Rent Market Meter

Renter's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are softening (down 1.8% YoY), so renters have negotiating leverage.

Based on rent-price momentum (-1.8% YoY, -0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 28803 (Asheville, NC) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 55% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

33,718

Median income

$76,662

Median age

41.6

Renters

44.9%

Age distribution

15.6%

25.8%

23%

23.9%

Under 1815.6%

18–3425.8%

35–5423%

55–6411.7%

65+23.9%

Gender

48.2%

51.8%

Male48.2%

Female51.8%

Race & ethnicity

80.6%

White80.6%

Black6.6%

Hispanic9.1%

Asian1.6%

Other2.1%

Education (25+)

15.9%

24.4%

55%

No HS diploma4.7%

HS diploma15.9%

Some college24.4%

Bachelor's+55%

Housing tenure

55.1%

44.9%

Owner55.1%

Renter44.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 28803 in Asheville, NC has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,386 → $1,679

up 21.1%

Income

$60,290 → $76,662

up 27.2%

Population

34,036 → 33,718

down 0.9%

Renter share

47.2% → 44.9%

-2.3 pts

Bachelor's+

49.8% → 55%

+5.2 pts

Rent in ZIP 28803 in Asheville, NC has climbed 21.1% since 2021, going from about $1,386 per month to roughly $1,679 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $60,290 in 2021 to $76,662 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 6.1 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. About 44.9% of households rent today, against 47.2% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 49.8% to 55%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 28803 in Asheville, NC market of 2021.

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About renting in ZIP 28803

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 28803 covers Asheville, NC. The median rent here is $1,679/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,890/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,070/mo.

At 26% of local median household income ($76,662/yr), ZIP 28803 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 1.8% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 28803?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $67,000/year (about $32/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,679/mo in ZIP 28803. The local median household income is $76,662/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 28803?

Rent in ZIP 28803 has fallen 1.8% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 7% below its high of $1,806 in August 2024.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 28803?

Asking rents in ZIP 28803 are usually lowest in December, about 0.7% below their yearly trend, and highest in March, about 0.6% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $22 a month. This pattern comes from 7 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 28803?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 28803 rose 48.7% while median household income rose 44.6%, from $53,023 to $76,662. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 28803 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?

ZIP 28803 is in the middle among North Carolina ZIP codes for rent, ranking #109 of 230 at $1,679/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 28803 changed -1.8%, against a typical +2.6% across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks.