Median Age
38 Years
Largest Age Group
20-29 Years
Approximately 15% of Residents
Under 20
25%
Over 65
18%
Sylva
Sylva, NC Area Guide
This picturesque small town has graced the silver screen more than once
Rural
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Community
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Historic
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Hiking
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Fishing
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Events
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Sylva seems like a town that someone would dream up on a Hollywood sound stage. Just an hour west of Asheville in the Nantahala National Forest, Sylva’s West Main St. is still lined with buildings dating back to the 1800s. Aside from new tenants that have kept the mountain town a popular tourist destination, Sylva looks like a place frozen in time.
Popular annual events keep the town buzzing almost all year long. Greening Up the Mountains, put on during the fourth Sunday in April, brings over 10,000 visitors to the town to celebrate the beginning of spring and the history of Appalachian arts and crafts. Sylva is also a popular fishing spot, and the Hook, Line, & Sinker Festival turns a whole weekend into celebration of the culture. Sylva was the setting of a few movies, including 2017’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Sylva’s real estate market is colorful, albeit small. Charming cabins and single-family homes are more prominent than apartment units in this scenic setting. It’s a fantastic area to settle in for those looking for a rural, yet engaging city.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$37,004
Average: $51,760
Education
993
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
1,196
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
In Sylva, there are roughly the same number of renters and homeowners.
Renters
51%
Non-Renters
49%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
28%
Other Education
72%
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Sylva, NC is for everyday living.
Fairly Walkable
Walkability
40
/ 100
Exceptionally Drivable
Drivability
100
/ 100
Somewhat Bikeable
Bikeability
30
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades PK-8
451 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
762 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
451 Students
Catamount School For Grades 6-8
Public
Grades 6-8
59 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
762 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
101 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
899 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Points of Interest
Shopping Centers
Parks and Recreation
- Balsam Mountain Trust
Top Apartments in Sylva
Houses for Rent in Sylva
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Nearby City Rentals
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Methodology
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.