Housing data for Sylva, NC
Sylva, NC has an estimated 2,646 residents and 1,206 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a town in Jackson County.
54.7% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $797 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−1.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 2,646 (±26)
- Housing units
- 1,206 (±200)
- Households that rent
- 54.7%
- Median gross rent
- $797
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −1.5%
What stands out in Sylva
Homes built before 1980: 50.6% (±15.5 points) in Sylva, higher than in Jackson County (32.2%).
Households without a vehicle: 8.6% (±5.4 points) in Sylva, higher than in Jackson County (3.1%).
Households that rent: 54.7% (±11.7 points) in Sylva, higher than in Jackson County (39.2%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 3.4% (±4.5 points) in Sylva, lower than in Jackson County (8.5%).
Housing in Sylva at a glance
- Median rent: $797 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $922 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 33.5% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 54.7% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $44,086 median household income
- Home values: $201,200 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,149 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $877 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 3.4% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 46.3% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 50.6% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 4.3% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 83.6% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 23.6 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 845 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −1.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 21.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 3.9% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Sylva against Jackson County, its state and the nation
| Sylva | Jackson County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,646 (±26) | 43,771 (exact) | 10,730,404 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 1,206 (±200) | 27,803 (±42) | 4,895,668 (±642) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 54.7% (±11.7 points) | 39.2% (±3.0 points) | 33.4% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $797 (±$197) | $904 (±$55) | $1,228 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $44,086 (±$6,090) | $55,815 (±$5,024) | $72,388 (±$324) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $201,200 (±$31,369) | $284,700 (±$19,969) | $288,900 (±$1,086) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $877 (±$88) | $976 (±$66) | $1,896 (±$8) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 50.6% (±15.5 points) | 32.2% (±3.1 points) | 33.9% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 23.6 minutes (±6.1) | 20.2 minutes (±1.3) | 25.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 82.4% (±7.2 points) | 78.9% (±2.5 points) | 90.1% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 31.4 years (±5.9) | 38.1 years (±1.2) | 39.1 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Sylva covers 3.2 square miles of land, about 834 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Sylva has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,687 (±18) | 2,646 (±26) | −1.5% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 1,436 (±165) | 1,206 (±200) | −16.0% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $697 (±$95) | $797 (±$197) | +14.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $144,400 (±$16,155) | $201,200 (±$31,369) | +39.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $35,583 (±$12,713) | $44,086 (±$6,090) | +23.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $980 (±$284) | $1,149 (±$59) | +17.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,011 (±$217) | $877 (±$88) | −13.3% | Down after inflation |
| Households that rent | 57.6% (±9.7 points) | 54.7% (±11.7 points) | −2.9 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.6% (±4.1 points) | 4.3% (±6.7 points) | +1.7 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Sylva
In 2025, the Sylva Police Department reported 845 violent and 4,043 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Jackson County, the departments that report recorded 301 violent and 1,354 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
Places near Sylva
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webster | 1.8 mi | $733 | $375,000 | 32.7% |
| Dillsboro | 2.0 mi | $1,026 | $270,300 | 58.4% |
| Cullowhee | 5.0 mi | $869 | $382,300 | 89.1% |
| Forest Hills | 5.7 mi | $1,208 | — | 43.6% |
| Cherokee | 8.9 mi | $1,075 | $189,900 | 37.4% |
| Bryson City | 13 mi | $783 | $243,400 | 57.2% |
| Maggie Valley | 14 mi | $1,067 | $320,500 | 25.7% |
| Waynesville | 15 mi | $1,070 | $281,700 | 42.7% |
Places in North Carolina most like Sylva
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayden | $778 | $182,400 | $42,413 | 40.8% |
| Troy | $675 | $160,100 | $51,731 | 51.6% |
| Lexington | $893 | $179,900 | $43,128 | 58.4% |
| Old Fort | $818 | $135,900 | $47,500 | 51.7% |
| Albemarle | $880 | $204,800 | $46,881 | 43.7% |
| Wilson | $971 | $210,700 | $52,485 | 50.9% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across North Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Sylva, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $916 | $954 | $1,039 | $1,360 | $1,366 |
HUD income limits for Sylva, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $16,450 | $27,450 | $43,900 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $31,350 | $50,150 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $35,250 | $56,400 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $39,150 | $62,650 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $42,300 | $67,700 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $45,450 | $72,700 |
| 7 people | $48,550 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| 8 people | $51,700 | $51,700 | $82,700 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Jackson County, NC, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $78,200.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Sylva
What is the average rent in Sylva, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Sylva is $797 (±$197) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Sylva?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Sylva, NC is $716 (±$163) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Sylva rent-burdened?
33.5% of renting households in Sylva pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Sylva?
Sylva has an estimated 562 (±161) renting households, 54.7% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Sylva?
The median household income in Sylva is $44,086 (±$6,090) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Sylva, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $201,200 (±$31,369) for owner-occupied homes in Sylva (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Sylva growing?
In Sylva, the number of residents went from 2,687 in 2015–2019 to 2,646 in 2020–2024 (−1.5%), a measurable decrease.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sylva town, North Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sylva town, North Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sylva town, North Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sylva town, North Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sylva town, North Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Sylva town, North Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Sylva town, North Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Jackson County, NC
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Jackson County, NC
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Sylva Police Department (ORI NC0500100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Sylva town, North Carolina (place:66500, in state:37).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .