Town · North Carolina
Dillsboro, North Carolina
Dillsboro, town, in Jackson County, North Carolina. Dillsboro had 217 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 213 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 195 (±77). GEOID 3717180.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
217
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 213 · ACS 2020-2024: 195 ±77
Median household income
$58,516
±$14,382 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$270,300
±$36,435 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,026
±$203 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Dillsboro and what county is it in?
Dillsboro is a town in Jackson County, North Carolina. It covers 0.5 square miles of land, 446 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Dillsboro, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 217 people lived in Dillsboro on July 1, 2025, up 4.8% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 213 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 195 (±77).
| Measure | Dillsboro | Jackson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 195 ±77 | 43,771 | no clear change |
| Households | 113 ±42 | 18,430 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.73 ±0.27 | 2.16 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 147 ±49 | 27,803 | no clear change |
Dillsboro's population since 2000
From 205 in 2000 to 217 in 2025: up 5.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Dillsboro as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Dillsboro?
The median resident of Dillsboro is 44.9 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 67.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 12.3%.
| Measure | Dillsboro | Jackson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.9 ±19.0 | 38.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 14.4% ±10.8 pts | 16.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.2% ±11.4 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Male | 41.0% ±9.9 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.7% ±8.6 pts | 8.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 67.7% ±16.5 pts | 78.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.2% ±12.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±19.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±7.1 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±19.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 12.3% ±13.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±1.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±19.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.2% ±4.7 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.0% ±8.2 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 18.5% ±8.0 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.8% ±13.5 pts | 15.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.1% ±3.2 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.5% ±13.4 pts | 31.1% | −29.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.9% ±8.3 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.7% ±9.7 pts | 83.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±19.4 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Dillsboro earn?
Half of Dillsboro's 113 households earn less than $58,516 a year (±$14,382), against $55,815 in Jackson County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $44,613 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Dillsboro | Jackson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,516 ±$14,382 | $55,815 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $67,848 ±$16,565 | $80,171 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,008 ±$10,949 | $33,850 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.5% ±10.2 pts | 18.0% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.2% ±34.1 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.0% ±10.2 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.4% ±11.6 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.1% ±15.0 pts | 78.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Dillsboro?
Owners occupy 41.6% of Dillsboro's occupied homes and renters 58.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $270,300 by its owner (±$36,435). The median renter pays $1,026 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Dillsboro | Jackson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $270,300 ±$36,435 | $284,700 | +$45,821 |
| Median gross rent | $1,026 ±$203 | $904 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.0% ±25.3 pts | 33.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,088 ±$207 | $1,403 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 41.6% ±14.5 pts | 60.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 58.4% ±14.5 pts | 39.2% | – |
| Housing units | 147 ±49 | 27,803 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 9.1% ±15.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±41.7 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 49.7% ±14.2 pts | 70.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.1% ±7.0 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±24.7 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.5% ±9.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.1% ±13.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.4% ±5.1 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Dillsboro work and get to work?
92.9% of Dillsboro's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 16.9 minutes.
| Measure | Dillsboro | Jackson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.3% ±11.5 pts | 55.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.9% ±1.8 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 92.9% ±7.4 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.7% ±4.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±30.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±30.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.4% ±6.3 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.9 min ±3.6 | 20.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Dillsboro?
No census tract lies mostly in Dillsboro; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9503Jackson County | 5,514 | $56,368 |
| Tract 9504Jackson County | 4,513 | $57,389 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Dillsboro) · Census block assignment files
How does Dillsboro compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dillsboro is the 16,241st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 498th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Dillsboro is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 498th | 549 |
Dillsboro's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Dillsboro with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Dillsboro?
27 of the 57 figures for Dillsboro on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Dillsboro are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Dillsboro.