Sylva is a town located in Jackson County North Carolina. Sylva has a 2024 population of 2,696. Sylva is currently growing at a rate of 1.05% annually and its population has increased by 4.42% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 2,582 in 2020.
The average household income in Sylva is $40,639 with a poverty rate of 29.06%. The median age in Sylva is 30.1 years: 28.4 years for males, and 30.9 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Sylva was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,970 | 75.74% |
| Two or more races | 313 | 12.03% |
| Other race | 188 | 7.23% |
| Black or African American | 81 | 3.11% |
| Native American | 42 | 1.61% |
| Asian | 7 | 0.27% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1,020 | 2.44 | 40 | 60 |
| Non Family | 616 | 1.53 | 28.6 | 71.4 |
| Married | 208 | 4.57 | 67.8 | 32.2 |
| Female | 170 | 3.08 | 53.5 | 46.5 |
| Male | 26 | 2.88 | 0 | 100 |
3.83
Average Family Size
2.44
Average Household Size
40.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 40 | 2.94% |
| Associates Degree | 76 | 5.59% |
| Bachelors Degree | 311 | 22.88% |
| Graduate Degree | 203 | 14.94% |
| High School Graduate | 368 | 27.08% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 182 | 13.39% |
| Some College | 179 | 13.17% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 1,017 | 961 | 413 |
| Hispanic | 187 | 21 | 21 |
| Other Race | 162 | 0 | 0 |
| Black | 66 | 66 | 23 |
| 2+ Races | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| Native American | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| Asian | 7 | 7 | 7 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $33,750 | $44,489 | $25,735 |
| Graduate Degree | $57,500 | $55,625 | $66,023 |
| High School Graduate | $38,182 | $43,750 | $2,499 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $29,430 | $29,825 | $0 |
| Overall | $35,296 | $37,169 | $25,506 |
| Some College | $30,795 | $53,077 | $0 |
$35,296
Average Earnings
$37,169
Average Male
$25,506
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.08% of Sylva residents speak only English, while 5.92% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 4.58% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 1,862 | 465 | 24.97% |
| Multiple | 313 | 192 | 61.34% |
| Black | 70 | 40 | 57.14% |
| Other | 188 | 31 | 16.49% |
| Hispanic | 283 | 31 | 10.95% |
29.06%
Overall Poverty Rate
19.37%
Male Poverty Rate
38.62%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Sylva is Multiple, with 61.34% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Sylva is Hispanic, with 10.95% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.31%. Among those working part-time, it was 52.97%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 42.58%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| High School | 40.88% |
| Some College | 27.46% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 20.85% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 19.37% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 60.42% |
| Male Unemployed | 31.11% |
| Female Employed | 21.31% |
| Male Employed | 9.5% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $45,000 | $52,415 |
| Households | $38,704 | $40,639 |
| Married Families | $64,286 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $32,292 | $32,915 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
28.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
28.5%
Male Marriage Rate
27.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
98
Number of Veterans
79
Male Veterans
19
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| First Gulf War | 41 |
| Vietnam | 31 |
| Second Gulf War | 27 |
| Korea | 15 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 32 |
| 75+ | 29 |
| 55 to 64 | 20 |
| 65 to 74 | 11 |
| 18 to 34 | 6 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 75 | 5.34% |
| Black | 23 | 33.82% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
32.65%
Veteran Poverty Rate
47.96%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
65.6%
Labor Force Participation
56.7%
Employment Rate
12%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
56.82%
Born in Sylva
90.77%
Native Born
9.23%
Foreign Born
7.61%
Non Citizen
1.61%
Naturalized
90.77% of Sylva residents were born in the United States, with 56.82% having been born in North Carolina. 7.61% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 2,839 | 28 | 1% |
| 2028 | 2,811 | 29 | 1.04% |
| 2027 | 2,782 | 29 | 1.05% |
| 2026 | 2,753 | 28 | 1.03% |
| 2025 | 2,725 | 29 | 1.08% |
| 2024 | 2,696 | 28 | 1.05% |
| 2023 | 2,668 | 41 | 1.56% |
| 2022 | 2,627 | 31 | 1.19% |
| 2021 | 2,596 | 14 | 0.54% |
| 2020 | 2,582 | -140 | -5.14% |
| 2019 | 2,722 | 24 | 0.89% |
| 2018 | 2,698 | 7 | 0.26% |
| 2017 | 2,691 | 48 | 1.82% |
| 2016 | 2,643 | 31 | 1.19% |
| 2015 | 2,612 | 12 | 0.46% |
| 2014 | 2,600 | 1 | 0.04% |
| 2013 | 2,599 | 29 | 1.13% |
| 2012 | 2,570 | 8 | 0.31% |
| 2011 | 2,562 | -1 | -0.04% |
| 2010 | 2,563 | 0 | 0% |