The Town FilesSylva, North Carolina
Town in Jackson County · population 2,578 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $201,200
- Household income
- $44,086
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 31.4
Sylva is a town of 2,578 people in Jackson County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $201,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks hipper than 99% of North Carolina towns, better for retirees than 72% of North Carolina towns.
How Sylva 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 Sylva is worth $201,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $44,086, which is more affordable than 24% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $797 a month. 45.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sylva | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $201,200 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $797 | $969 |
| Median household income | $44,086 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 45.3% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sylva
| People | Sylva | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.4 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.4% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.4% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 89.5% |
Weather in Sylva
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 25.6°F. About 54.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.3 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylva since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 28, 1976 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 19, 2006.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 19 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 Jackson County
Jackson County had 14,477 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,540 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Sylva itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Sylva
6 public schools with 2,355 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoky Mountain High School | 9-12 | 899 | 17.0 |
| Fairview School | PK-8 | 781 | 15.3 |
| Scotts Creek School | PK-8 | 438 | 12.5 |
| Jackson Co Early College | 9-13 | 109 | 27.3 |
| Jackson Community School | 5-12 | 69 | 8.6 |
| Catamount School | 6-8 | 59 | 11.8 |
Towns near Sylva
- Cullowhee, NC5.0 mi · 7,682 people · home $382,300
- Waynesville, NC14.5 mi · 10,140 people · home $281,700
- Franklin, NC16.3 mi · 4,175 people · home $195,000
- Lake Junaluska, NC17.5 mi · 3,219 people · home $389,200
- Canton, NC24.1 mi · 4,422 people · home $246,700
- Gatlinburg, TN28.7 mi · 3,577 people · home $332,000
- Brevard, NC29.0 mi · 7,744 people · home $450,000
Sylva questions
Is Sylva, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sylva scores better for retirees than 72% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 34%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.4).
How much does a house cost in Sylva?
The median owner-occupied home in Sylva is valued at $201,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,086, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $797 a month.
What is the weather like in Sylva?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 25.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.2 inches of precipitation a year and 4.3 inches of snow.
Does Sylva get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylva since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 28, 1976. 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)