Sylva is a town in Jackson County, North Carolina, home to about 2,646 people across 3.2 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28779.
Homes sold for a median of $232 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Part is in Sylva, part in Webster and Cullowhee
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Sylva. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Sylva’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)55 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)38 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA130 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL509 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Sylva; 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.
Sylva had 2,578 residents in the 2020 census, up 6% since 2000.
It’s the 290th 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 (3 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).
434 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Sylva.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 32 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 43 |
| Dentists | 15 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 96 |
| Mental health providers | 206 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 34 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 9 |
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.
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
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.
Established in 1889.
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. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairview SchoolSylva | Pre-K–8 | 797 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Scotts Creek SchoolSylva | Pre-K–8 | 422 | Public | 4.5 mi |
| Jackson Community SchoolSylva | 5–12 | 50 | Alternative Education | 4.5 mi |
| Jackson Co Early CollegeSylva | 9–13 | 113 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| Smoky Mountain High SchoolSylva | 9–12 | 881 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage Christian AcademySylva | Pre-K–8 | 85 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.4 mi |
| Victory Christian SchoolSylva | K–12 | 100 | Baptist | 7.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Webster, Cullowhee 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.