RANK #558 / 1001 NAT · #34 / 51 NC · POP 62,662
1YR FORECAST: +0.0%
5YR OUTLOOK: +27%
Haywood County, North Carolina, distinguishes itself with its mountainous landscape, featuring 18 peaks over 6,000 feet, including the well-known Cold Mountain. Located just 20 minutes west of Asheville, the county offers convenient access to a larger city while maintaining a distinct small-town feel across its communities like Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde, and Lake Junaluska. The area is a hub for outdoor recreation, bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and encompassing parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest. Residents and visitors engage in hiking, fishing, mountain biking, and skiing at Cataloochee Ski Area. All of the county's water, including the Pigeon River, originates within its borders.
Life in Haywood County appeals to those seeking an authentic Appalachian experience with access to natural amenities. The public school system is ranked highly within North Carolina. Commute options include Haywood Public Transit, which offers fixed routes connecting towns and transfers to Buncombe County. The economy is influenced by tourism, with recent developments focusing on affordable housing initiatives for seniors and the workforce. The county has seen an increase in its working population over the past decade.
Haywood County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -4.5% YoY, population +0.4%, wages +7.1%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 20.3x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Haywood County scores 44/100 on the Boom Town Index, landing in the middle of the pack among 1001 U.S. counties (#558). Median household income is $61,912 and job growth is running at -0.4%. The data points to a county with mixed signals — some positive indicators alongside areas that lag faster-growing peers.
Haywood County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $279,200 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.22 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,067/month on average.
Population and employment in Haywood County are both close to flat — population +0.4% YoY and jobs -0.4%. Home values shifted -4.5% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.64% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Haywood County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.