Mars Hill is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,007 at the 2020 census, up from 1,869 in 2010. It is the home of Mars Hill University. The town is in western North Carolina, north of Asheville, and is served by Interstate 26. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Official town website ↗

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

How Mars Hill ranks

All →

#14Fewest smokers in NC #20Lowest obesity in NC #30Most active in NC All NC rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code28754

Area code828

Living in Mars Hill

Housing in Mars Hill

$414K▼ 1.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Mars Hill home is worth about $414,000, down 1.6% in a year, 24% above the North Carolina typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market186

Sale-to-list96.6%

Sold in May7

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Mars Hill

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Most working residents leave Mars Hill for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Asheville (28%), Charlotte (5%) and Woodfin (4%). Half commute less than 17 miles.

Asheville

28%

Charlotte

Woodfin

Weaverville

5%Work in townlive and work in Mars Hill 17 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 759Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Mars Hill →

Health in Mars Hill

Health Grade A

Healthier than 87% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with North Carolina

18better than NC·2worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 12 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▲ 4 close Habits 2▲ 2 close Care 3▲ 2▼ 2 close Mind 2▲ 3 close Everyday needs 3▲ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

7.4%Fewer adults with diabetesNC 12% · better 5%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offNC 8.1% · better 71.3%Fewer adults treating high blood pressureNC 76.7% · worse

Care nearby

Asheville-Oteen VA Medical CenterAsheville · 17 mi · ER

Mars Hill Medical CenterMars Hill · 0.1 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 Mars Hill · CMS · HRSAHealth in Mars Hill →

Natural hazards in Mars Hill

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves⚡ Lightning

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

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Mars Hill →

Climate in Mars Hill

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Mars Hill has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 26 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

49° / 28°Winter

68° / 42°Spring

84° / 61°Summer

69° / 44°Fall

How much snow does Mars Hill get?About 26 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 18, with the last in spring around Apr 28.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.9° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

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

Schools in Mars Hill

All Mars Hill schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Mars Hill’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 70% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#121Best public schoolsof 252 in NC

DistrictMadison County SchoolsSchools1

Mars Hill Elementary BElementary · Grades K–5 · 445 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.