Highlands

Population: 1,276
Median household income: $63,750
Median home value: $666,300

Highlands, a community in Macon County, North Carolina, has 1,276 residents. The median household income of $63,750 is above the Macon County median ($53,298).

From 2019 to 2023, Highlands's population grew 9.6% from 1,164 to 1,276, while its median home value rose 23.7% from $538,600 to $666,300.

The largest age group is 65 to 74, 23.0% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 85.0% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 1,276
Median age: 58.4 yrs
Median household income: $63,750
Median home value: $666,300
Median gross rent: $905
Housing units: 2,528
Homeownership rate: 59.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 53.0%
Unemployment rate: 3.7%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

1,1641,276

Median household income

$54,226$63,750

Median home value

$538,600$666,300

Median gross rent

$946$905

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	1,164	$54,226	$538,600	$946
2020	1,061	$55,938	$590,100	$965
2021	1,105	$52,070	$622,900	$939
2022	1,140	$55,573	$642,300	$896
2023	1,276	$63,750	$666,300	$905

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 50.4%

5 to 1711.0%

18 to 246.6%

25 to 347.6%

35 to 448.9%

45 to 5410.5%

55 to 6416.3%

65 to 7423.0%

75 and over15.8%

	Count	Share
Under 5	5	0.4%
5 to 17	140	11.0%
18 to 24	84	6.6%
25 to 34	97	7.6%
35 to 44	114	8.9%
45 to 54	134	10.5%
55 to 64	208	16.3%
65 to 74	293	23.0%
75 and over	201	15.8%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	1,085	85.0%
Black or African American	40	3.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	0	0.0%
Asian	15	1.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	7	0.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	129	10.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma4.2%

High school graduate10.3%

Some college or associate's32.5%

Bachelor's degree30.9%

Graduate or professional degree22.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	44	4.2%
High school graduate	108	10.3%
Some college or associate's	340	32.5%
Bachelor's degree	324	30.9%
Graduate or professional degree	231	22.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 14 min

Drove alone54.0%

Carpooled6.3%

Public transit0.0%

Walked20.4%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home19.4%

Other means0.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	276	54.0%
Carpooled	32	6.3%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	104	20.4%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	99	19.4%
Other means	0	0.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	304	73.8%
15 to 29 min	59	14.3%
30 to 44 min	40	9.7%
45 to 59 min	0	0.0%
60+ min	9	2.2%

Households

Average household size: 1.72
Poverty rate: 12.8% (161 of 1,254)

	Count	Share
Family households	327	45.2%
Nonfamily households	397	54.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1979

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	724	28.6%
Vacant	1,804	71.4%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	427	59.0%
Renter-occupied	297	41.0%

1-unit, detached75.1%

1-unit, attached0.8%

2 to 4 units11.0%

5 to 19 units8.4%

20 or more units0.2%

Mobile home & other4.5%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	1,898	75.1%
1-unit, attached	20	0.8%
2 to 4 units	278	11.0%
5 to 19 units	213	8.4%
20 or more units	6	0.2%
Mobile home & other	113	4.5%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3731360
Type (LSAD): 43
Land area: 6.25 sq mi
Water area: 0.14 sq mi
Center point: 35.0538, -83.1976