The Town FilesMars Hill, North Carolina
Town in Madison County · population 2,007 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $294,700
- Household income
- $81,429
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 27.6
Mars Hill is a town of 2,007 people in Madison County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $294,700, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of North Carolina towns, better for young professionals than 97% of North Carolina towns, better for retirees than 92% of North Carolina towns.
How Mars Hill ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Mars Hill is worth $294,700, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $81,429, which is more affordable than 57% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,043 a month. 64.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mars Hill | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $294,700 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,043 | $969 |
| Median household income | $81,429 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 64.6% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Mars Hill
| People | Mars Hill | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.6 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.1% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 15.5% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 89.5% |
Weather in Mars Hill
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 23.5°F. About 41.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.6 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mars Hill since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 6, 1977 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 16, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 8, 2024.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 28, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| September 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4617: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 4,310 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,583 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Mars Hill itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Mars Hill
1 public school with 477 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Hill Elementary | K-5 | 477 | 14.9 |
Towns near Mars Hill
- Barnardsville, NC6.1 mi · 559 people · home $153,000
- Marshall, NC7.6 mi · 777 people · home $282,100
- Weaverville, NC8.9 mi · 4,567 people · home $463,700
- Woodfin, NC12.7 mi · 7,936 people · home $366,700
- Burnsville, NC15.3 mi · 1,614 people · home $243,500
- Emma, NC15.9 mi · 2,174 people · home $92,300
- Hot Springs, NC16.4 mi · 520 people · home $179,200
- Asheville, NC17.8 mi · 94,589 people · home $440,000
Mars Hill questions
Is Mars Hill, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mars Hill scores better for retirees than 92% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 32%. 14.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.6).
How much does a house cost in Mars Hill?
The median owner-occupied home in Mars Hill is valued at $294,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,429, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,043 a month.
What is the weather like in Mars Hill?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 23.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.6 inches of precipitation a year and 25.6 inches of snow.
Does Mars Hill get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mars Hill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 6, 1977. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)