North Carolina
Watauga County
ZIP 28605
54,607 residents519 permits TTM$51,367 median HHI7 ZIP codesUpdated April 16, 2026
Investor first look
Median home value
$321,500
ACS 5-Year
Cap rate proxy
4.0%
FMR × 0.65 ÷ Home Value
Rent-to-income
24.9%
HUD FMR ÷ ACS HHI
Net migration
+1.03%
IRS SOI
Permits (TTM)
519
Census BPS
Climate risk
71.9
FEMA NRI (0–100)
ZIP 28605
Median home value
—
Gross yield
—
Cap rate
1.7%
Rent gap
—
Affordability
P/I: 14.5R/I: —
Section 8 detail
SAFMR: —Rent: —Gap: —
ZIP code breakdown7 ZIP codes
| ZIP | Median home value | Rent (FMR 2BR) | Gross yield | Cap rate | Rent gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28698 | — | — | — | 3.8% | — |
| 28607 | — | — | — | 4.6% | — |
| 28618 | — | — | — | 3.4% | — |
| 28679 | — | — | — | 3.3% | — |
| 28604 | — | — | — | 4.4% | — |
Ranked by composite score
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Demographics
Owner-occupied
61.2%
Census ACS
Vacancy rate
35.9%
Census ACS
Bachelor's degree +
47.7%
Census ACS
Rent burdened
57.3%
Census ACS (>30% income)
Median age
32.2
Census ACS
U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
U.S. Census Bureau — Building Permits Survey
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — Fair Market Rents / Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMR)
Internal Revenue Service — Statistics of Income Migration Data
FEMA — National Risk Index
Last updated: April 16, 2026