All Countries
Highlands, NC
Full City Profile · North Carolina · Macon County County
2.8
/5.0
C+
Fair
1,276
Population
204/sq mi density
$63,750
Median Income
$48,722 per capita
$666,300
Home Value
$1,010,831 Zillow
$905
Median Rent
27.2% income on rent
51°F
Avg Temperature
302 sunny days/yr
411
Violent Crime/100K
7,084 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.8 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.0 / 5.0
$63,750 median income, 1.8% unemployment
F
Affordability
1.0 / 5.0
$666,300 home value, $905/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
411 violent crimes/100K (8% above avg)
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
53.0% bachelor's degree or higher
Income Overview
Median Household Income
$63,750
15% below
US avg: $75,149
Per Capita Income
$48,722
25% above
US avg: $39,052
Unemployment Rate
1.8%
50% below
US avg: 3.6%
Poverty Rate
11.3%
9% below
US avg: 12.4%
Income Comparison: Highlands vs. U.S. Average
Each bar shows Highlands’s value as a percentage of the national average (100% line = U.S. avg)
Median Household
US: $75,149
$63,750
85%
Per Capita
US: $39,052
$48,722
125%
IRS Avg AGI
US: $72,000
$66,451
92%
Avg Weekly Wage
US: $1,432
$893
62%
Thin line = U.S. average (100%)
Employment & Commute
Avg Weekly Wage
$893
38% below US avg ($1,432)
Mean Commute Time
14 min
50% below US avg (28 min)
Work From Home
19.4%
28% above US avg (15.2%)
Drive Alone
54.0%
26% below US avg (73.2%)
Public Transit
0.0%
100% below US avg (5.0%)
County GDP
$2,130M
County-level GDP (BEA 2024)
How Residents Get to Work
Drive Alone
54%
Public Transit
0%
Work From Home
19.4%
Other
26.6%
Average commute time
14 minutes
US avg: 28 min
Business Landscape
Total Establishments
1,457
Restaurants
131
Healthcare
107
Retail
218
Manufacturing
31
Tax & Financial
IRS Avg Adjusted Gross Income
$66,451
8% below US avg ($72,000)
Avg Property Tax
$4,064
16% above US avg ($3,500)
Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below national average (100 = US avg)
Complete Economy Data
Income & Wages
| Median Household Income | $63,750 |
| Per Capita Income | $48,722 |
| IRS Avg Adjusted Gross Income | $66,451 |
| Avg Weekly Wage | $893 |
| County GDP | $2,130M |
Hardship Indicators
| Unemployment Rate | 1.8% |
| Poverty Rate | 11.3% |
| Gini Coefficient | 0.472 |
| Cost of Living Index | 94.3 |
Commute
| Mean Commute | 14 minutes |
| Drive Alone | 54.0% |
| Public Transit | 0.0% |
| Work From Home | 19.4% |
Businesses
| Total Establishments | 1,457 |
| Restaurants | 131 |
| Healthcare | 107 |
| Retail | 218 |
| Manufacturing | 31 |
Tax
| IRS Avg AGI | $66,451 |
| Avg Property Tax | $4,064 |