HomeNorth CarolinaHaywood County
Haywood County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Haywood County, North Carolina had an estimated 63,048 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 62,087, across 554 square miles. County output reached $2.60 bn in 2024, 1,546 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 62 7(a) approvals worth $41.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Haywood County
How many people live in Haywood County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202462,662
- Households27,123
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$61,912
- Median age47.8
- Median gross rent$1,067 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$279,200
- Home value to household income4.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher29.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over47,569
- Population under 1811,025
- Share under 1817.6 percent
- Population 65 and over16,106
- Share 65 and over25.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6435,531
- Civilian labor force29,605
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.3 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties45th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included867th of 3,222
Haywood County is the 45th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 4.5 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.7 percent against 17.6 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Haywood County
Is Haywood County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202463,048
- Census 2020 base population62,087
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.55 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024126
- Births, 2024519
- Deaths, 20241,003
- Natural change, 2024-484
- Net domestic migration, 2024550
- Net international migration, 202463
- Total net migration, 2024613
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,632
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1311th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.55 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Haywood County
Where are people moving to Haywood County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,870
- People arriving, from those returns3,154
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,546
- Net household movement324
- Adjusted gross income arriving$143.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$52.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$76,756
- Average income of a leaving household$58,896
- Largest single originBuncombe County (421 households)
- Largest single destinationBuncombe County (304 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buncombe County | 421 | 685 | $23.2 m |
| Jackson County | 105 | 179 | $5.8 m |
| Henderson County | 42 | 73 | $1.8 m |
| Pinellas County | 31 | 50 | $4.1 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 29 | 53 | $2.4 m |
| Swain County | 27 | 52 | $1.4 m |
| Wake County | 23 | 44 | $2.7 m |
| Greenville County | 22 | 34 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $17,860 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Buncombe County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Haywood County
What is the Haywood County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.60 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.52 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.4 percent
- GDP change over five years28.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes50th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1082nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$41,511
Output grew 3.4 percent in the latest year and 28.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Haywood County
Employment by industry in Haywood County
- Covered employment, annual average17,496
- Establishments reporting1,983
- Average annual pay$46,227
- Average weekly wage$889
- Retail trade, employment3,254
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,868
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,701
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,883
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,390
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,018
- Manufacturing, employment1,429
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,614
- Construction, employment1,037
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment949
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 3,254 | 245 | $35,868 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,701 | 191 | $24,883 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,390 | 216 | $51,018 |
| Manufacturing | 1,429 | 47 | $55,614 |
| Construction | 1,037 | 238 | $58,967 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 949 | 136 | $52,815 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 607 | 231 | $68,952 |
| Other services, except public administration | 518 | 175 | $38,893 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 3,254 jobs, 18.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Haywood County
How many businesses are in Haywood County?
- Establishments, all industries1,546
- Employment at those establishments16,322
- Annual payroll$703.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Haywood County
Building permits in Haywood County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024537
- Declared construction value permitted$150.6 m
- Single family units authorized373
- Multifamily units authorized164
- Multifamily share of units30.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$280,421
- Units authorized per 1,000 households19.8
Single-family homes are 69.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Haywood County
SBA loans in Haywood County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded62
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$41.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$668,050
- Median 7(a) approval$360,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,787,000
- Largest single approval$4,626,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)722
- Jobs per approval11.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active31
- Distinct industries receiving approvals33
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer45.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms28
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter33
- Franchise loans10
- Franchise share of approvals16.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (11)
- Most active lenderMountain Bizcapital, Inc. (6)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.7 m
- Average 504 approval$663,000
- Median 504 approval$530,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval2.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved3.8
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$44.1 m
The average approval of $668,050 sits well above the median of $360,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 45.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Haywood County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Haywood County
Do SBA loans in Haywood County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded14
- Paid in full14
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure34
- Status: Paid in full14
- Status: Cancelled9
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed5
Only 14 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Haywood County
SBA lending by place in Haywood County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Waynesville, approvals30
- Maggie Valley, approvals13
- Canton, approvals13
- Clyde, approvals5
- Columbia, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Waynesville | 30 | $16,475,900 |
| Maggie Valley | 13 | $11,631,200 |
| Canton | 13 | $9,684,000 |
| Clyde | 5 | $3,503,000 |
| Columbia | 1 | $125,000 |
Waynesville accounts for 30 approvals against 13 in Maggie Valley. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Haywood County
How large is Haywood County?
- Land area554 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties29th of 100
- Width, east to west28.7 mi
- Height, north to south34.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land113
- Establishments per square mile2.79
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Haywood County
Flood risk in Haywood County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Haywood County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370120
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Haywood County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Haywood County (community 370120), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Haywood County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Haywood County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Haywood County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202462,662
- Households27,123
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$61,912
- Median age47.8
Common questions
Haywood County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Haywood County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 63,048 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 62,662, in 27,123 households, ranking 45th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Haywood County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.55 percent since the 2020 census base of 62,087, to 63,048 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 519 births against 1,003 deaths, with net migration of 613. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Haywood County?
$61,912. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $279,200, which is 4.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,067 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Haywood County?
1,546 establishments, employing 16,322 people with an annual payroll of $703.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Haywood County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 3,254 jobs, 18.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 17,496 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,227, or $889 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Haywood County?
62 7(a) approvals totaling $41.4 m since FY2020, across 31 lenders, with a median approval of $360,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Haywood County?
537 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $150.6 m. Multifamily was 30.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Haywood County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Haywood County come from?
The largest single origin is Buncombe County, with 421 households. Arriving households report an average income of $76,756 against $58,896 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Haywood County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Haywood County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Haywood County
Cities and places in Haywood.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Haywood County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesville | town | 10,502 | 30 | Wholly in this county |
| Canton | town | 4,419 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Junaluska | CDP | 3,175 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maggie Valley | town | 2,112 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| West Canton | CDP | 1,412 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clyde | town | 1,359 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 62 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Haywood County, the largest being Columbia (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.