Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
35% of residents are under 18 in Hayesville, against 22% in North Carolina’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Hayesville’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, above both North Carolina’s towns (0.2) and U.S. towns (0.4). Chatuge Hydroelectric Project and Clay County Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hayesville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Hayesville beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 35 in 1870, 461 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1901 and 3 maps from 1935 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hayesville, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Hayesville.
Most working residents leave Hayesville for work: only 10% work in town. 24% of residents live below the poverty line in Hayesville. Since 2013, Hayesville has added 359 jobs, to 726 in 2023.
| Hayesville | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 6.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Clay County Schools. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Hayesville High, with 366 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayesville Primary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 375 | – |
| Hayesville HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 366 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Hayesville has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 27° and about 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
19% of Hayesville adults report frequent physical distress. Hayesville beats the North Carolina average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 29% of Hayesville adults say their health is fair or poor.
| Hayesville | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| What stands out | Hayesville | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.6% | 14.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.2% | 76.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 32.3% | 13.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.8 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Clay County Recreation Park, at 23 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Clay County Recreation Park | — | 23 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Hayesville home is worth about $347,000, down 0.5% in a year, close to the North Carolina typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hayesville. Close and well known come first.
Big draw28 mi National ParkGreat Smoky Mountains National Park11.5M visitors a year
12 mi MountainBrasstown Bald
20 mi National forestNantahala National Forest
26 mi National forestChattahoochee–Oconee National Forest
21 mi WaterfallAnna Ruby Falls34 mi WaterfallTallulah GorgeGreat Smoky Mountains National Park: Scott Basford, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Brasstown Bald: Unknown, Public domain · Nantahala National Forest: Sdrtm at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest: Thomson200, CC0 · Anna Ruby Falls: Jsfouche, CC BY-SA 3.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Hayesville
About 0 of every 100 Hayesville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Where Hayesville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in North Carolina, United States
Hayesville is a town in Clay County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Hayesville had a population of 461. It is the county seat of Clay County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hayesville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
