Moving to Waynesville, North Carolina

Population: 9,232. Estimated population in July 2024: 9,386 (+1.7% change)
Males: 4,301 (46.6%), Females: 4,931 (53.4%)

Haywood County

Zip code: 28786

Demographics

Median resident age: 44.0 years
Median household income: $28,296
Median house value: $93,400

Population by Race

Races in Waynesville:

  • White Non-Hispanic (93.3%)
  • Black (3.3%)
  • Hispanic (2.0%)
  • American Indian (0.9%)
  • Other race (0.8%)
  • Two or more races (0.7%)

Ancestries: United States (18.3%), English (11.9%), Irish (11.9%), German (10.8%), Scotch-Irish (7.4%), Scottish (3.0%).

Elevation: 3600 feet

Land area: 7.7 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Waynesville

  • High school or higher: 72.8%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.2%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 6.0%
  • Unemployed: 7.0%
  • Mean travel time to work: 17.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Waynesville town

  • Never married: 16.1%
  • Now married: 54.1%
  • Separated: 3.6%
  • Widowed: 12.6%
  • Divorced: 13.7%

1.3% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +220 (+2.4%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Waynesville:

  • HAYWOOD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 10 miles; CLYDE, NC)
  • HARRIS REGIONAL HOSPITAL, INC (about 17 miles; SYLVA, NC)
  • US PHS INDIAN HOSPITAL (about 21 miles; CHEROKEE, NC)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Waynesville:

  • ASHEVILLE REGIONAL (about 33 miles; ASHEVILLE, NC; Abbreviation: AVL)
  • DONALDSON CENTER (about 67 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Abbreviation: GYH)
  • GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG INTL (about 68 miles; GREER, SC; Abbreviation: GSP)

Other public-use airports nearest to Waynesville:

  • MEYERS (about 19 miles; CANDLER, NC; Abbreviation: N39)
  • JACKSON COUNTY (about 19 miles; SYLVA, NC; Abbreviation: 24A)
  • TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY (about 30 miles; BREVARD, NC; Abbreviation: 22W)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Waynesville:

  • WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY (about 19 miles; CULLOWHEE, NC; Full-time enrollment: 5,843)
  • ASHEVILLE BUNCOMBE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 32 miles; ASHEVILLE, NC; Full-time enrollment: 2,728)
  • UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE (about 32 miles; ASHEVILLE, NC; Full-time enrollment: 2,759)
  • CLEMSON UNIVERSITY (about 48 miles; CLEMSON, SC; Full-time enrollment: 15,962)
  • WALTERS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 53 miles; MORRISTOWN, TN; Full-time enrollment: 3,893)
  • FURMAN UNIVERSITY (about 55 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,915)
  • CARSON-NEWMAN COLLEGE (about 55 miles; JEFFERSON CITY, TN; Full-time enrollment: 2,073)

Schools

Public high school in Waynesville:

  • TUSCOLA HIGH (Students: 1,284; Location: 564 TUSCOLA SCHOOL RD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Waynesville:

  • WAYNESVILLE MIDDLE (Students: 1,048; Location: 459 BROWN AVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • HAZELWOOD ELEMENTARY (Students: 513; Location: 1111 PLOTT CREEK ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)
  • BETHEL ELEMENTARY (Students: 507; Location: 730 SONOMA ROAD; Grades: KG – 05)
  • JUNALUSKA ELEMENTARY (Students: 419; Location: 2238 ASHEVILLE HWY; Grades: KG – 05)
  • JONATHAN VALLEY ELEMENTARY (Students: 403; Location: 410 HALL DRIVE; Grades: KG – 05)
  • CENTRAL ELEMENTARY (Students: 308; Location: 62 JOY LANE; Grades: KG – 05)
  • BETHEL MIDDLE (Students: 302; Location: 630 SONOMA ROAD; Grades: 06 – 08)

Private primary/middle school in Waynesville:

  • WAYNESVILLE SDA SCHOOL (Students: 13; Location: 119 HAMPSHIRE DR; Grades: 2 – 8)

Libraries

Library in Waynesville:

  • HAYWOOD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $1,234,225; Location: 678 SOUTH HAYWOOD STREET; 140,857 books; 10,195 audio materials; 5,100 video materials; 540 serial subscriptions)