Sunnybank · National Register of Historic Places
Hot Springs’s story
198 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1875.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1828Hot Springs is settled
Hot SpringsNC
Photo: Hot Springs Tourism & Welcome Center · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
548
2025 Census estimate · +5.2% since 2020
Typical home
$323K
+0% in a year
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
44.5
years
Jobs based here
261
Balanced
Is Hot Springs a good place to live?
Hot Springs’ median rent is $521 a month, where North Carolina’s towns sit at $1,085 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 29% of the land in Hot Springs is conserved, above both North Carolina’s towns (3.4%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Its National Register listings include Sunnybank and Henry Ottinger House. Hot Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Hot Springs stand out
Where Hot Springs beats most towns.
Small town
548 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hot Springs: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hot Springs, and how to reach them.
PowerDuke Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Hot Springs water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpHot Springs Collection Center #883 Cogdills DriveOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMadison County Board of ElectionsMadison County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2874328743 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Hot Springs.
Outdoors
Hot Springs has set aside nearly a quarter of its land for conservation
The biggest place to walk is Pisgah National Forest, 590 acres with 2.4 miles of trail. 3.0 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve.
29.1%conserved
29.1%
conserved · 580 of 1,997 acres
3.0 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pisgah National Forest | 2.4 mi | 590 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Schools
The schools Hot Springs’s kids attend
Public schools: the Madison County Schools. Its one school is below. 128 students attend Hot Springs’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 128 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than North Carolina overall
Among adults 25 and older, 27% have a four-year degree or more, against 36% across North Carolina. Adults 35 to 64 are 53% of residents (38% statewide); children under 18 are 14% of residents (22% statewide). Hot Springs has grown 5.2% since 2020, to 548 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. The midpoint age in the town is 44.5 years.
44.5median age · NC 39.1
| Hot Springs | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.5 years | 40.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 27% | 29% | 29% |
Hot SpringsNorth CarolinaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school43%
Some college24%
Associate’s4%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 44% and 65% women
The Census survey reached too few of Hot Springs’ residents to say more: its margin here is ±10.4 points. Across North Carolina, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Hot Springs | NC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.2% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.6% | 13.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.8% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 21.2% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.8% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.4% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 42.9% | 24.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.5% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.4% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.6% | 13.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Hot Springs has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Hot Springs, 75% come from inland flooding and 9% from cold waves. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 72% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Hot Springs households in 4 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
7
paid flood claims since 2004
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–50°
Spring44–69°
Summer63–85°
Fall46–70°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
With 1.3 jobs for every working resident, Hot Springs draws in 234 commuters
Among residents in Hot Springs, 19% live below the poverty line. For most workers, Hot Springs is a place to come home to: only 14% work in town. Also worth knowing: jobs in Hot Springs grew by 110 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 261. Half of commuters travel less than 25 miles.
14%work in town
| Hot Springs | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Hot Springs14%
Asheville22%
Charlotte7%
Marshall5%
Weaverville5%
25 mi
median commute distance
261
jobs based in Hot Springs
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Hot Springs is
In Hot Springs, 37% of adults have obesity. Among adults in the town, 27% have been diagnosed with depression and 17% smoke cigarettes.
| Hot Springs | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
0 better25 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Hot Springs | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.7% | 7.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.5% | 6.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 7.9% |
Greeneville Community Hospital
19.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Hot Springs’ typical home value is about $323K
For households in Hot Springs, the share who live in a home they own is 51%. 63% of Hot Springs renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
$323KZillow home value
| Hot Springs | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 51% | 67% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 63% | 49% | 48% |
Typical home value
Hot Springs$323K
North Carolina$332K
+0%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 44 attractions →Dollywood and 20 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hot Springs. Close and well known come first.
Big draw40 mi Theme parkDollywood3.1M visitors a year
Big draw18 mi National ParkGreat Smoky Mountains National Park11.5M visitors a year
Big draw33 mi MountainMount Mitchell
25 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year30 mi Theme parkGhost Town in the Sky
37 mi National forestPisgah National ForestSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Dollywood: Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 2.5 · Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Scott Basford, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Mitchell: Unknown, Public domain · Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Pisgah National Forest: Ken Thomas, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hot Springs
18pages on Hot Springs
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hot Springs; the nearest are
Mars Hill UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Mars Hill16.2 mi$37,736 tuitionUniversity of North Carolina AshevilleUniversity or college · Public · Asheville24.2 mi$7,501 in-state tuitionHaywood Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Clyde26 mi$2,580 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Hot Springs residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Landmarks
5 places in Hot Springs on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Hot Springs
Town in North Carolina, United States
Hot Springs is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 520 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Asheville metropolitan statistical area. It is situated on the Appalachian Trail and French Broad River near the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Hot Springs is best known for its hiking trails, natural springs, and mountain town atmosphere.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1828
- Area
- 3.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,332 ft
- ZIP code
- 28743
- Area code
- 828
Questions about Hot Springs
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hot Springs, NC a good place to live?
Hot Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.