Population 8,225 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mills River
Household size in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.71 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.40 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.71 people per household, Mills River sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in North Carolina as a whole, where it has 2.52 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.31, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.4 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.5 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Mills River skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 45.2, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.7% of households in Mills River, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Mills River
Renters in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Mills River is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (39.0%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.4 points, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Mills River than nationally: 13.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.4 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Mills River is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1993, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $672 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $835 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,093 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,450 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$779 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Mills River costs $1,450 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in North Carolina as a whole ($1,317). Rents are up $779 a month from 2006–10, a 116% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 21.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Mills River
Bachelor's degrees in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.9% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.0% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.4 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Mills River than nationally: 43.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 17.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Mills River has a higher share of college graduates than the great majority of North Carolina cities.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Mills River: 95.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Mills River has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Mills River
| Period | Mills River | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mills River runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.6 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Mills River compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mills River | 2.71 | 47.5 | 7.7% | 14.9% | 13.2% | 1993 | $1,450 | 43.0% | 95.0% | 4.5% |
| Horse Shoe | 2.42 | 46.0 | 6.2% | 13.1% | 10.8% | 1989 | $1,567 | 39.4% | 95.1% | 5.6% |
| Etowah | 2.28 | 50.5 | 6.2% | 13.3% | 9.7% | 1990 | $1,419 | 39.2% | 95.1% | 2.5% |
| Arden | 2.79 | 40.6 | 12.0% | 42.0% | 26.0% | 1998 | $1,349 | 39.3% | 91.0% | 5.7% |
| Fletcher | 2.60 | 44.0 | 10.8% | 19.7% | 12.6% | 1999 | $1,343 | 42.8% | 93.1% | 2.7% |
| Laurel Park | 2.27 | 55.6 | 6.5% | 19.7% | 16.2% | 1979 | $1,915 | 57.9% | 96.7% | 4.1% |
| Oak Forest | 2.69 | 50.2 | 3.8% | 35.9% | 24.8% | 2003 | $1,959 | 82.3% | 98.4% | 6.0% |
| Hendersonville | 2.30 | 47.0 | 10.6% | 30.9% | 11.5% | 1986 | $1,219 | 33.9% | 90.1% | 2.9% |
| Valley Hill | 2.50 | 48.2 | 5.1% | 15.9% | 12.5% | 1987 | $1,684 | 43.5% | 93.8% | 0.4% |
| Hoopers Creek | 2.33 | 45.1 | 7.3% | 19.2% | 12.5% | 1994 | $1,036 | 25.2% | 90.0% | 3.3% |
| Stony Fork | 3.17 | 44.3 | 4.2% | 21.4% | 29.7% | 1993 | $1,250 | 21.4% | 95.8% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Round Hill, VA · McCook, NE · McKenzie, TN · Mcloud, OK · Mead, WA · Meadowbrook, AL · Mecca, CA · Medford, WI · Medina, NY · Meridianville, AL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Mills River. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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