Town · North Carolina
Highlands, North Carolina
Highlands, town, mostly in Macon County (98.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Jackson County, North Carolina. Highlands had 1,127 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,072 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,074 (±236). GEOID 3731360.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,127
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,072 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,074 ±236
Median household income
$71,509
±$8,961 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$700,900
±$106,442 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$650
±$533 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Highlands and what county is it in?
Highlands is a town mostly in Macon County (98.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Jackson County, North Carolina. It covers 6.2 square miles of land, 172 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Macon County | 1,060 | 98.9% |
| Jackson County | 12 | 1.1% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Highlands, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,127 people lived in Highlands on July 1, 2025, up 5.6% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,072 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,074 (±236).
| Measure | Highlands | Macon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,074 ±236 | 37,941 | no clear change |
| Households | 643 ±154 | 18,406 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.63 ±0.17 | 2.04 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,454 ±242 | 27,216 | no clear change |
Highlands's population since 2000
From 909 in 2000 to 1,127 in 2025: up 24.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Highlands 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 Highlands?
The median resident of Highlands is 62.7 years old; 6.7% are under 18 and 46.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.9%. 6.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Highlands | Macon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.7 ±5.2 | 49.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 6.7% ±4.0 pts | 17.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 46.9% ±10.0 pts | 29.2% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±6.3 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.9% ±5.8 pts | 10.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.8% ±8.9 pts | 85.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.2% ±6.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±2.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.8% ±4.4 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.1% ±6.5 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.5% ±4.3 pts | 9.4% | – |
| With a disability | 11.5% ±4.6 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.4% ±8.3 pts | 13.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.9% ±3.6 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 57.8% ±7.7 pts | 27.9% | +11.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 20.9% ±6.7 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.2% ±10.1 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 9.0% ±6.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
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 Highlands earn?
Half of Highlands's 643 households earn less than $71,509 a year (±$8,961), against $59,061 in Macon County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $66,736 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Highlands | Macon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,509 ±$8,961 | $59,061 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $107,164 ±$18,015 | $82,980 | – |
| Per capita income | $63,661 ±$9,602 | $38,705 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.9% ±5.8 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.9% ±24.6 pts | 12.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.9% ±1.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.3% ±4.0 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.8% ±4.2 pts | 83.3% | – |
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 Highlands?
Owners occupy 67.2% of Highlands's occupied homes and renters 32.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $700,900 by its owner (±$106,442).
| Measure | Highlands | Macon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $700,900 ±$106,442 | $251,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $650 ±$533 | $803 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.2% ±24.4 pts | 34.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,939 ±$520 | $1,247 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.2% ±13.4 pts | 77.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.8% ±13.4 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Housing units | 2,454 ±242 | 27,216 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.4% ±2.9 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.8% ±8.1 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 75.1% ±4.8 pts | 76.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.4% ±3.1 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±1.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.6% ±2.8 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.6% ±5.7 pts | 6.1% | – |
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 Highlands work and get to work?
43.6% of Highlands's workers drive alone and 23.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.6 minutes.
| Measure | Highlands | Macon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 45.5% ±9.3 pts | 53.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% ±5.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 43.6% ±15.9 pts | 80.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.2% ±8.3 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 25.5% ±20.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 23.7% ±11.6 pts | 9.4% | +13.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.6 min ±8.3 | 22.6 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 Highlands?
No census tract lies mostly in Highlands; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9705.01Macon County | 1,700 | $71,014 |
| Tract 9705.02Macon County | 2,101 | $71,000 |
| Tract 9509Jackson County | 2,349 | $88,750 |
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 Highlands) · Census block assignment files
How does Highlands compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Highlands is the 9,810th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 325th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Highlands ranks 173rd of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 325th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 143rd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 432nd | 443 |
| Median household income | 173rd | 434 |
| Per capita income | 31st | 443 |
| Median home value | 10th | 438 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37th | 421 |
| Median age | 10th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 220th | 443 |
| Work from home | 55th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 434th | 439 |
Highlands's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Highlands 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 Highlands?
25 of the 57 figures for Highlands 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 Highlands 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 Highlands.