Haywood County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Haywood County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 62,662. It is the 45th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Haywood County is 47.8 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. 11.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Haywood County is $61,912. This is 14% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.1%. This is about the same as the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $279,200. Housing costs are 3% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Haywood County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (90.4% vs 60.0%). The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.0%) is well below the state average of 11.3%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

29.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Haywood County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.