United States › North Carolina › Waynesville CITY
Waynesville North Carolina · 11,006 residents (2025 est.) · 8.94 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Waynesville is home to 10,502 people in North Carolina. The median age is 46.0, about 7 years above the US median. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 24%. The foreign-born share is 6%. 57% of homes are owner-occupied. Median household income is $54,923, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 82%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,232 in 2000
11,006 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,175 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 1,101 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 44.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 8K 9K 10K 11K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Waynesville Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,923
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,296 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,821 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.494 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 2.3%
Public administration 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
Education & health services 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$281,700
+82%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $85,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,070
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $432 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 65.4% in 2000
42.7% rent
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.06 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.3%(8,611)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 87.7%(9,211)
Hispanic / Latino 6.6%(697)
from 21 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 20.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 33.5%(1,459)
Women 15+
Never married 25.5%(1,219)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 39.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 29.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 23.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 22.7%(206)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.8%(189)
Share of the 908 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Waynesville, North Carolina? Waynesville, North Carolina has about 10,502 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Waynesville, North Carolina? The typical household in Waynesville, North Carolina earns about $54,923 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Waynesville, North Carolina expensive? In Waynesville, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $281,700, and the typical rent is about $1,070 a month.
How educated are people in Waynesville, North Carolina? About 32.9% of adults age 25 and over in Waynesville, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Waynesville, North Carolina? About 15.9% of people in Waynesville, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Waynesville, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Waynesville, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,683 residents, a change of about 54 percent over that period.
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