Highlands: Housing & Real Estate
Homes in Highlands carry a median value of $700,900 (estimated market value runs 13% higher at $788,827), with median rent $650 (1.2× below Macon County median $803; 1.9× below North Carolina median $1,228). Homeownership rate: 67.2%. That's 2.8× higher than the Macon County median ($251,900); 2.4× higher than the North Carolina median ($288,900). Market is warm. Vacancy rate 71.4%. New construction makes up 2.6% of stock. 2 nursing facilities on file. A municipal building code is in effect.
- 9.8× annual income — home value vs. household income (vs North Carolina 4.5×).
- 89.9 years to break even renting at the median (vs North Carolina 22y).
- 4-BR rent is 1.5× a studio — rent gradient by unit size.
- Median rent 32% below HUD 2-BR FMR — local market vs federal subsidy benchmark.
Home Values & Rent
Median home value $700,900 — 2.0× the North Carolina median ($353,700). Median rent $650/month. homeownership rate 67.2% — above the U.S. share of ~65%.
| Affordability · Home Price To Income | 9.8× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Home Affordability | very expensive |
| Affordability · Rent Pct Income | 15.2% |
| Affordability · Rent Affordability | affordable |
| Affordability · Pct Severely Rent Burdened | 28.2% |
| Affordability · Poverty Rate | 7.9% |
| Affordability · Property Tax Pct Income | 3.8% |
| Fair Market Rent · Studio rent | $840 (vs North Carolina $1,167) |
| Fair Market Rent · One-bedroom rent | $879 (vs North Carolina $1,429) |
| Fair Market Rent · Two-bedroom rent | $964 (vs North Carolina $1,567) |
| Fair Market Rent · Three-bedroom rent | $1,272 (vs North Carolina $1,905) |
| Fair Market Rent · Four-bedroom rent | $1,276 (vs North Carolina $2,319) |
| Fair Market Rent · HUD FMR area | Jackson County, NC |
| Fair Market Rent · Fiscal year | FY2026 |
| Home Value Estimate | $788,827 |
| Median Home Value | $700,900 (vs North Carolina $353,700) |
| Median Rent | $650 (vs North Carolina $1,360) |
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B25077 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Tenure & Occupancy
Owner-occupied vs renter-occupied housing units, plus vacancy rates.
| Housing Market · Market temperature | warm |
|---|---|
| Housing Market · Vacancy rate | 71.4% |
| Housing Market · New construction (% of stock) | 2.6% |
| Housing Market · Price Appreciation 2Yr | 5.2% |
| Housing Orgs · Total count | 1 |
Sources: IRS BMF NTEE L
Utilities
Electricity, water, and broadband infrastructure serving residents. Broadband percentages reflect the share of premises that can subscribe to service at the listed speed (FCC Form 477).
Systems (5)
| Broadband · % of premises with 25/3 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at North Carolina median) |
|---|---|
| Broadband · % of premises with 100/20 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at North Carolina median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 250/25 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at North Carolina median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 1 Gbps / 100 Mbps broadband | 86.9% (vs North Carolina 63.3%) |
| Broadband · Broadband-capable premises | 2,825 |
| Electricity · Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | 14.13¢/kWh |
| Electricity · Customers | 5067762 |
| Electricity · Revenue Millions | $8,727 |
| Electricity · Year | 2024 |
| Mobile Broadband · 3G mobile coverage | 0.000000000 |
| Mobile Broadband · 4G mobile coverage | 1.000000000 (at North Carolina median) |
| Mobile Broadband · 5G mobile coverage | 0.301204819 (vs North Carolina 100.0%) |
| Mobile Home Parks Detail · County total | 10 |
Sources: FCC BDC Jun 2025 · EIA Annual Retail Sales 2023 · FCC BDC Mobile 2024 · HIFLD / IRS BMF · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Charging & Mobility
| Ev Charging · Stations | 11 |
|---|---|
| Ev Charging · Public Stations | 11 |
| Ev Charging · L2 Ports | 35 |
Sources: DOE AFDC API
Other
| Homeownership Rate | 67.2% (vs North Carolina 52.8%) |
|---|---|
| Median Year Built | 1981 |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12