Your Destination to Live, Work & Play
Haywood County, once known as a summer retreat destination, is home to a growing economy, unmatched business climate and exceptionally high quality of life, making it an ideal location to live, work and play. With a population of 60,000, Haywood is the third largest county in western North Carolina. Read more.
Home to 546 scenic square miles of mountain vistas, fertile river valleys and rolling foothills, Haywood is located in the western part of North Carolina—within a day’s drive of 50% of the U.S. population. Knoxville, Atlanta and Charlotte can be reached in 3 hours or less by car. Asheville Regional Airport is within a 30 minute drive. Haywood offers ready access to I-40, I-26 and US 19/23/74—major interstates through the area.
The most famous natural attraction in the area is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited National Park in the U.S. The area has recently been designated a Blue Ridge Heritage area and is well known for its creativity in arts and crafts.
Though some of those statistics make the county seem quite remote, lost between vast undeveloped mountains and forests, Haywood County is a hub of towns, museums, specialty retail shops, outdoor recreation and historic sites with some of the most popular festivals and special events Western North Carolina has to offer.
Resorts, country clubs, a variety of shopping, galleries, fine dining, live entertainment and unique eateries along with a vast array of lodging which include inns, hotels, cabin rentals and bed and breakfasts make up only a few of the county’s personal services.
Haywood is home to four distinct townships, each with their own personality: Canton, Clyde, Maggie Valley and Waynesville. In addition, smaller communities with historic landmarks and quaint rural qualities are also scattered throughout the county.
Explore the cost of living in Haywood.
Education
Haywood’s high achieving public K-12 school system is ranked in the top 15 of all school districts in the state of North Carolina. Two high schools are home to several athletic state champions. Middle and high schools offer a diverse community of academic and extracurricular activities. Smaller elementary schools are situated throughout the county offering students and families easy access from home and an active academic learning community. Read more about the Haywood County school system.
Area community colleges, universities, and graduate schools create a highly-skilled diverse education infrastructure – from machining to culinary to Masters and Doctoral expertise. Learn More.
Health Care
Health and medical care is the second largest industry cluster in Haywood County and offers a comprehensive array of services. Two major medical facilities provide the majority of medical services to our community. Haywood Regional Medical Center- A Duke LifePoint Hospital and Mission Health Systems both provide advanced, compassionate and safe healthcare for Haywood and surrounding counties.
Culture, Entertainment & Recreation
Haywood has established itself as an art, music, theater, entertainment and recreation destination with a wide variety of opportunities in the community. Below are some of the cultural attractions that Haywood has to offer.
Our homegrown tourism authority, Visit NC Smokies, maintains a calendar of events and other resources to keep your family engaged and entertained!
- Art & Music
- National Parks & Forests
- Shopping—from antiques to downtown specialty retail—Haywood has a wide variety of boutique shops.
Real Estate
Haywood is home to a diverse real estate market – from second home to traditional housing. A vibrant community of realtors are available to help you find the home of your dreams; whether it be in town, rural or mountain-top dreams.
