ZIP Code · NC

ZIP 28804

Part of Asheville, NC

Pop. 25,776·Buncombe County·130th most expensive ZIP in North Carolina

Median rent (all units)

$1,612/mo

Year-over-Year

+1.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.2%

vs US Median

-$320

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 28804 · $1,612

More affordable than 64% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,440

1 BR

$1,670

2 BR

$1,830

3 BR

$2,230

4 BR+

$3,070

Research median

$1,830/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

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 28804 is 1.9% below its high of $1,644 in July 2024, at $1,612 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of North Carolina

Rent in ZIP 28804 changed +1.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($88,312) is $2,208 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,830); a 3-bedroom is $2,230.

Rank in Asheville

1st cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Asheville.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28804. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$19,344/yr

At $1,612/mo median

Location

CityAsheville

StateNC

CountyBuncombe County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (1.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+1.5% YoY, +0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 28804 (Asheville, NC) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 60% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

25,776

Median income

$88,312

Median age

Renters

28.9%

Age distribution

14.9%

24.9%

24.4%

12.1%

23.8%

Under 1814.9%

18–3424.9%

35–5424.4%

55–6412.1%

65+23.8%

Gender

52.1%

47.9%

Male52.1%

Female47.9%

Race & ethnicity

83.9%

White83.9%

Black2.5%

Hispanic7.7%

Asian2%

Other3.9%

Education (25+)

14.3%

21%

60%

No HS diploma4.7%

HS diploma14.3%

Some college21%

Bachelor's+60%

Housing tenure

71.1%

28.9%

Owner71.1%

Renter28.9%

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

2023 vs 2026

How ZIP 28804 in Asheville, NC has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,534 → $1,612

up 5.1%

Income

$72,575 → $88,312

up 21.7%

Population

24,854 → 25,776

up 3.7%

Renter share

31.3% → 28.9%

-2.4 pts

Bachelor's+

57.7% → 60%

+2.3 pts

Median age

45.1 → 43

-2.1 yrs

Five years ago, renters in ZIP 28804 in Asheville, NC paid around $1,534 a month. That figure now sits near $1,612, up 5.1% from the 2023 baseline. Median household income climbed from $72,575 to $88,312 between 2021 and 2024, a 21.7% shift. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show ZIP 28804 in Asheville, NC adding about 922 residents over the five-year window, up 3.7% on net. The renter share has eased from 31.3% to 28.9%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 57.7% to 60% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 28804 in Asheville, NC reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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About renting in ZIP 28804

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 28804 covers Asheville, NC. The median rent here is $1,612/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,670/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,830/mo.

At 22% of local median household income ($88,312/yr), ZIP 28804 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 28804?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $64,000/year (about $31/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,612/mo in ZIP 28804. The local median household income is $88,312/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 28804?

Rent in ZIP 28804 has risen 1.5% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 1.9% below its high of $1,644 in July 2024.

How does ZIP 28804 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?

ZIP 28804 is in the middle among North Carolina ZIP codes for rent, ranking #130 of 230 at $1,612/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 28804 changed +1.5%, against a typical +2.6% across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks.