Population 20,431 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Waynesville
Household size in Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.12 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.12 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Waynesville are small: just 2.22 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.12 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only 31 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
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 Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.1 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Waynesville skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has crept up from 47.4 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Waynesville: 8.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Waynesville
Renters in Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.9% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Waynesville is about as common as it is nationally: 31.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. Just over half of owners (52.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, 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 Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.8% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.4% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 19.4% of the housing in Waynesville, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, 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 Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Waynesville run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the center. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have older homes.
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 Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $642 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $742 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $789 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,142 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$500 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Waynesville runs $1,142 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $500 a month since 2006–10, up 78%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Waynesville
Bachelor's degrees in Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.5% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.3% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Waynesville than nationally: 31.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.2 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.2% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.0% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.7% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.7% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Waynesville have finished high school as nationally: 89.7%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 8.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Waynesville
| Period | Waynesville | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Waynesville than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Waynesville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesville | 2.22 | 48.1 | 8.5% | 31.9% | 19.4% | 1973 | $1,142 | 31.3% | 89.7% | 3.9% |
| Lake Junaluska | 2.80 | 45.5 | 19.2% | 16.9% | 42.7% | 1964 | $1,078 | 70.6% | 92.5% | 1.1% |
| Cove Creek | 2.40 | 55.1 | 13.3% | 15.1% | 26.4% | 1984 | $1,121 | 26.2% | 96.0% | 2.1% |
| Maggie Valley | 2.23 | 57.7 | 7.6% | 18.1% | 50.3% | 1989 | $1,009 | 30.1% | 95.8% | 1.8% |
| Worley | 2.36 | 49.6 | 10.2% | 18.3% | 29.2% | 1989 | $1,228 | 34.3% | 89.0% | 2.9% |
| Clyde | 2.49 | 44.6 | 7.5% | 23.0% | 13.0% | 1989 | $1,006 | 27.8% | 92.8% | 0.4% |
| Balsam | 2.14 | 51.6 | 10.3% | 22.9% | 31.5% | 1982 | $1,146 | 39.2% | 90.8% | 5.0% |
| Canton | 2.36 | 44.8 | 11.8% | 24.8% | 17.5% | 1974 | $934 | 21.9% | 91.6% | 5.5% |
| Cruso | 1.99 | 54.0 | 7.6% | 19.3% | 30.6% | 1980 | $1,003 | 29.9% | 94.9% | 14.2% |
| East Laport | 2.18 | 41.7 | 5.7% | 50.1% | 16.7% | 1987 | $1,007 | 31.5% | 94.3% | 0.0% |
| Airport | 2.62 | 35.4 | 23.8% | 24.8% | 11.3% | 1986 | $753 | 19.1% | 82.8% | 15.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Connersville, IN · Temperance, MI · Tarzana, CA · Swedesboro, NJ · East Hemet, CA · East Greenwich, RI · Dripping Springs, TX · Dover, FL · Dixon, IL · Dixon, CA
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 Waynesville. 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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