The Church of the Incarnation built in 1896 is a historic Carpenter Gothic Episcopal church building located at 111 North 5th Street in Highlands, Macon County, North Carolina.

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12 on the National Register · #40 in NCHistoric places →

Know Highlands

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Highlands

City in North Carolina, United States

1875Established

1,072Population

6.2 sq miArea

4,117 ftElevation

Highlands is an incorporated town in Macon County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located on a plateau in the southern Appalachian Mountains, within the Nantahala National Forest, it lies mostly in southeastern Macon County and slightly in southwestern Jackson County, in the Highlands and Cashiers Townships, respectively. The permanent population was 1,014 at the 2020 census.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code28741

Area code828

Living in Highlands

Housing in Highlands

$1.06M▲ 7.5% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Highlands home is worth about $1,063,000, up 7.5% in a year, 218% above the North Carolina typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Highlands

—

Not graded

A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Highlands's police department reported only 2023 and 2024, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.

Violent crime per 1,000

Highlands 0

North Carolina 3.8

U.S. 3.6

Property crime per 1,000

Highlands 16.9

North Carolina 20.1

U.S. 17.7

FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Highlands

Full picture →

About one in 3 of Highlands’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Franklin (3%), Charlotte (3%) and Asheville (3%). Half commute less than 4 miles.

Franklin

Charlotte

Asheville

Knoxville, TN

31%Work in townlive and work in Highlands 4 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,664Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Highlands →

Health in Highlands

B⁺

Health Grade B+

Healthier than 70% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 86% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with North Carolina

17better than NC·7worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 8 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▲ 7▼ 4 close Habits 3▲ 1 close Care 6▲ 1 close Mind 3▲ 2 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

6%Fewer adults facing housing insecurityNC 12.2% · better 4%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offNC 8.1% · better 14.9%More adults who have had cancerNC 7.9% · worse

Care nearby

Highlands Cashiers HospitalHighlands · 2.3 mi · ER · rural critical access

Blue Ridge Health - Highlands CashierHighlands · 2.4 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Highlands · CMS · HRSAHealth in Highlands →

Natural hazards in Highlands

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 39% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes

0Does Highlands flood?no paid flood claims on record 3Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Highlands

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Highlands →

Climate in Highlands

Full climate →

Highlands has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

45° / 26°Winter

61° / 39°Spring

75° / 56°Summer

61° / 42°Fall

How much snow does Highlands get?About 10 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 15, with the last in spring around Apr 30.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.4° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Highlands →

Schools in Highlands

All Highlands schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Highlands’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 69% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

DistrictMacon County SchoolsSchools1

Highlands School A-Other · Grades K–12 · 344 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within NC. Ratings are from neighbors.