Cullowhee is a community in Jackson County, North Carolina, home to about 7,973 people across 3.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 28723, and parts of 28779 are in Cullowhee too.
Homes sold for a median of $366 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly Cullowhee; also Forest Hills
Part is in Cullowhee, part in Sylva and Webster
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Cullowhee. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Cullowhee’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Cullowhee well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)62 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)37 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA125 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL517 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Cullowhee; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Cullowhee had 7,682 residents in the 2020 census, up 115% since 2000.
It’s the 121st largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Jackson County grew from 11,853 residents in 1900 to 43,109 in 2020.
Jackson County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 26°F. About 54.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 4 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Cullowhee, NC weather station (5 miles away).
13,583 jobs at 1,113 businesses in Jackson County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
43 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Cullowhee.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 7 |
| Mental health providers | 18 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 10 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Libraries
Museums
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Jackson County Public Schools, Catamount School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cullowhee Valley SchoolCullowhee | Pre-K–8 | 570 | Public | 3.9 mi |
| Catamount SchoolCullowhee | 6–8 | 64 | Public | 5.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Cullowhee? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Sylva, Forest Hills, Webster and Dillsboro.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.