West Canton is a community in Haywood County, North Carolina, home to about 1,412 people across 1.4 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28716 and 28721.
Homes sold for a median of $236 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 0 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Canton; part is in West Canton
Part is in West Canton, part in Clyde and Lake Junaluska
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside West Canton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up West Canton’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)66 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)19 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC117 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL507 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of West Canton; 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.
West Canton had 1,265 residents in the 2020 census, up 9% since 2000.
It’s the 398th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Haywood County grew from 16,222 residents in 1900 to 62,089 in 2020.
Haywood County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 24°F. About 50.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 11 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Waynesville 1 E, NC weather station (6 miles away).
16,322 jobs at 1,546 businesses in Haywood County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
242 doctors and other health care providers list an office in West Canton’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 43 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 58 |
| Dentists | 15 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 50 |
| Mental health providers | 42 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 29 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 3 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
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)
Libraries
Museums
Counts are within about 1 mile 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.
Public schools here are run by Haywood County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clyde ElementaryClyde | Pre-K–5 | 523 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Meadowbrook ElementaryCanton | Pre-K–5 | 198 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| North Canton ElementaryCanton | Pre-K–5 | 332 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Bethel ElementaryCanton | K–5 | 537 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| Riverbend ElementaryClyde | K–5 | 204 | Public | 5.9 mi |
| Canton MiddleCanton | 6–8 | 475 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Haywood Early CollegeClyde | 9–13 | 177 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Pisgah HighCanton | 9–12 | 859 | Public | 1.5 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.
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Shares ZIP codes with Canton, Clyde and Lake Junaluska.
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.