Small-town market profile · North Carolina
Waynesville, NC area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Waynesville area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 63,369
- +1.9% since 2020
- Households
- 27,123
- Median household income
- $61,912
- Median home value
- $279,200
- Jobs located here
- 17,778
- Highest market score
- 80
- Funeral homes, #29 of 365 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Waynesville area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Waynesville area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 63,369 people live in the Waynesville area, in 27,123 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Waynesville area from 2020 to 2025 at +1.9%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Waynesville area is $61,912 a year, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Waynesville area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 138, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (61).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Waynesville area are for funeral homes (80), gas stations (78) and roofing and gutter companies (76). The Waynesville area ranks #29 of 365 scored small-town markets for funeral homes.
The Waynesville area is made up of one county, Haywood County. For its number of households, the Waynesville area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for electricians (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for gyms (51% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Waynesville area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Waynesville area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral homes | 80 | #29 of 365 | 6 | 2.2 | $802K | 118 | 6 |
| Gas stations | 78 | #37 of 536 | 37 | 13.6 | $2.3M | 97 | 28 |
| Roofing and gutters | 76 | #21 of 288 | 5 | 1.8 | $14.3M | 169 | 4 |
| Convenience stores | 74 | #56 of 529 | 18 | 6.6 | $8.5M | 108 | 5 |
| Car washes and detailing | 73 | #59 of 441 | 5 | 1.8 | $5.2M | 206 | 4 |
| Insurance agencies | 73 | #83 of 537 | 28 | 10.3 | $2.6M | 208 | 30 |
| Child care and preschools | 71 | #64 of 454 | 6 | 2.2 | $1.7M | 167 | 14 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 69 | #62 of 387 | 6 | 2.2 | $4.3M | 140 | 7 |
| House cleaning | 68 | #28 of 142 | 6 | 2.2 | $6.1M | 95 | 10 |
| Gyms | 67 | #65 of 506 | 10 | 3.7 | $1.6M | 126 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 67 | #85 of 377 | 7 | 2.6 | $3.2M | 167 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 65 | #89 of 476 | 15 | 5.5 | $4.8M | 100 | 20 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 63 | #104 of 400 | 9 | 3.3 | $3.1M | 98 | 3 |
| Veterinarians | 62 | #111 of 398 | 9 | 3.3 | $2.4M | 88 | 9 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 62 | #132 of 458 | 11 | 4.1 | $2.5M | 141 | 26 |
| Auto repair shops | 61 | #160 of 538 | 56 | 20.6 | $464K | 104 | 26 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 60 | #183 of 536 | 45 | 16.6 | $1M | 117 | 11 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 59 | #129 of 387 | 10 | 3.7 | $2.2M | 85 | 7 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 59 | #172 of 529 | 24 | 8.8 | $3.8M | 103 | 10 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 59 | #194 of 536 | 32 | 11.8 | $1.4M | 114 | 11 |
| Pet stores | 58 | #67 of 220 | 6 | 2.2 | $3.6M | 80 | 4 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 58 | #203 of 538 | 61 | 22.5 | $2.5M | 74 | 14 |
| Auto repair and car care | 57 | #205 of 538 | 99 | 36.5 | $262K | 98 | 41 |
| Pizza | 56 | #188 of 520 | 18 | 6.6 | $5.1M | 101 | 54 |
| Nail salons | 55 | #161 of 387 | 9 | 3.3 | $2.5M | 147 | 5 |
| Grocery stores | 53 | #245 of 506 | 22 | 8.1 | $7M | 75 | 9 |
| Physical therapy | 51 | #206 of 400 | 16 | 5.9 | $1.7M | 72 | 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 51 | #252 of 507 | 25 | 9.2 | $3.7M | 89 | 10 |
| Pet businesses | 51 | #267 of 527 | 31 | 11.4 | $697K | 79 | 20 |
| Tire shops | 50 | #216 of 431 | 13 | 4.8 | $2M | 80 | 6 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 48 | #290 of 538 | 167 | 61.6 | $166K | 109 | 60 |
| Home repair trades | 48 | #293 of 526 | 35 | 12.9 | $2M | 84 | 51 |
| Chiropractors | 46 | #242 of 426 | 13 | 4.8 | $2.1M | 89 | 8 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 45 | #318 of 538 | 266 | 98.1 | $346K | 93 | 126 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 45 | #321 of 537 | 39 | 14.4 | $2.4M | 77 | 54 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 42 | #306 of 481 | 30 | 11.1 | $1.2M | 73 | 48 |
| Spas and skin care | 41 | #358 of 504 | 25 | 9.2 | $883K | 101 | 5 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 40 | #271 of 399 | 22 | 8.1 | $1.7M | 57 | 35 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 40 | #373 of 538 | 143 | 52.7 | $643K | 97 | 62 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 39 | #401 of 535 | 31 | 11.4 | $527K | 80 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 38 | #413 of 536 | 70 | 25.8 | Index only | 126 | 68 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 37 | #87 of 112 | 7 | 2.6 | $2.3M | 58 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 37 | #413 of 538 | 105 | 38.7 | $210K | 99 | 24 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 36 | #400 of 526 | 29 | 10.7 | $953K | 97 | 20 |
| Hair salons | 36 | #427 of 538 | 64 | 23.6 | $345K | 80 | 13 |
| Electricians | 35 | #245 of 295 | 15 | 5.5 | $4.8M | 40 | 27 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 35 | #458 of 533 | 63 | 23.2 | Index only | 111 | 46 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 28 | #336 of 378 | 14 | 5.2 | $1.2M | 58 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.5 | Index only | 244 | 8 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | $15.4M | 124 | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | $8.7M | 63 | 5 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | Index only | 228 | 10 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.7 | $23.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.7 | $18.3M | Too few | 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.4 | $27.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Waynesville area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $26M | $957 | 100 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $85.3M | $3,145 | 121 |
| Food away from home | $92M | $3,391 | 83 |
| Groceries | $153.8M | $5,671 | 90 |
| Personal care products and services | $22.1M | $814 | 81 |
| Child care and other personal services | $10M | $370 | 64 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $16.3M | $603 | 61 |
| Medical and dental services | $27.6M | $1,019 | 79 |
| Pets | $21.6M | $797 | 88 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $46.3M | $1,709 | 83 |
| Vehicle insurance | $73.2M | $2,699 | 138 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $71.3M | $2,630 | 87 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $36.6M | $1,349 | 95 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $380.8M | $14,040 | 84 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Waynesville area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 63,369+1.9% since 2020
- Households
- 27,123
- Median age
- 47.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 75%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 554 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 113
- Median household income
- $61,912
- Average household income
- $80,833
- Median home value
- $279,200
- Jobs located here
- 17,778
- Daytime population
- 52,805Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Waynesville area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Waynesville area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Waynesville area 1
- Haywood County, NC62,662 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
Questions
How fast is the Waynesville, NC area growing?
Population estimates put the Waynesville area at 63,369 people in 2025, up 1.9% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 27,123 households.
How much do households in the Waynesville, NC area spend?
Households in the Waynesville area spend about $380.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $153.8M on groceries and $92M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Waynesville area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 138, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (61).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Waynesville, NC area?
Of the business types scored in the Waynesville area, funeral homes (80), gas stations (78) and roofing and gutter companies (76) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For funeral homes, that ranks #29 of 365 scored small-town markets.
How does the Waynesville, NC area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Waynesville area is $61,912, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 1.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $279,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for electricians (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for gyms (51% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 48 of the 56 business types have a score in the Waynesville area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Waynesville area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Waynesville area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Waynesville area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.