City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Waynesville, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Waynesville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

10,408
Residents
$50,554
Median income
$254,800
Median home
$1,230
Median rent (state)

Waynesville - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Waynesville places in the 20th percentile for household income and the 13th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
57th
percentile, home value
39th
percentile, median rent
13th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Waynesville, NC

North Carolina's Waynesville is a small town, with 10,408 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Waynesville households earn a median of $50,554 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 10.3%. Typical homes in Waynesville are valued around $254,800, and the median resident age is 47.4 years. About 31.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 53.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 234 residential building permits were authorized in Waynesville (Slowing), down 9% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Waynesville's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3310.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Waynesville's yearly average temperature at 53.2°F with 50.2 inches of precipitation per year and 10.9 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,230 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 77.2 out of 100 (High).

Population

10,408 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$50,554 /yr

Poverty 10.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Waynesville compare to other US cities?

Where Waynesville sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 57% pricier than other cities
Median rent 39% pricier than other cities
Safety 13% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Waynesville ranks #124 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Waynesville's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

20thIncome percentile
13thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 13th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Waynesville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Waynesville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Waynesville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Waynesville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$254,800 43rd percentile more affordable than 43% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Waynesville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Waynesville, NC Waynesville, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waynesville, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Waynesville, NC median $50,554/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Waynesville, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Waynesville, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
10,408
Median Income
$50,554
Median Home Value
$254,800
Median Age
47.4
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Labor force participation
53.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3310.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
499.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2811.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
53.2°F
Annual Precipitation
50.2"
Annual Snowfall
10.9"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,000 residents10,500 residents11,000 residents11,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,231 residents 11,006 residents ▲ +7.6%
Waynesville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
234
housing units authorized
Single-Family
80
detached homes
Multifamily
154
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
22.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 258
2020 33
2021 262
2022 43
2023 71
2024 234

Permit volume decreased 9% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.4%
Carpool
15.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.3%
Work from Home
12.2%

Based on 4,597 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Waynesville sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,230/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Rolesville
10,200 people
Winterville
10,624 people
Mount Airy
10,631 people
Tarboro
10,705 people
Pineville
10,780 people
Summerfield
11,031 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waynesville's 10,408 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Valley, AL
10,406 people
Lake Hiawatha, NJ
10,406 people
Blackhawk, CA
10,404 people
Cadillac, MI
10,404 people
London, OH
10,403 people
Edwards, CO
10,415 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waynesville's $50,554 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dos Palos, CA
$50,556 median income
Winchester, KS
$50,556 median income
Canton, MN
$50,556 median income
Chokio, MN
$50,556 median income
Zena, OK
$50,556 median income
Dacusville, SC
$50,556 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waynesville, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Waynesville, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.6% 7.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.3% White 89.6% Black or African American 1.8% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 7.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Waynesville compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Waynesville (this city) 10,408 $50,554
Rolesville 10,200 $148,250
Winterville 10,624 $82,783
Mount Airy 10,631 $39,873
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waynesville, NC?

What is the population of Waynesville, NC? +

Waynesville, NC counts 10,408 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Waynesville, NC? +

In Waynesville, the typical household earns $50,554 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waynesville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Waynesville; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Waynesville, NC safe? +

Waynesville has a total crime rate of 3310.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Waynesville, NC? +

The median home value in Waynesville is $254,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Waynesville? +

Waynesville has an average annual temperature of 53.2°F, 50.2 inches of precipitation, and 10.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.