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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Mills River, NC
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Mills River profile


Living in Mills River



Mills River is a somewhat small town located in the state of North Carolina. With a population of 7,206 people and three associated neighborhoods, Mills River is the 127th largest community in North Carolina.

Mills River real estate is some of the most expensive in North Carolina, although Mills River house values don't compare to the most expensive real estate in the U.S.

Of important note, Mills River is also a town of artists. Mills River has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Mills River’s character.

Because of many things, Mills River is a great place for families with children to consider. First of all, many other families with children live here, making Mills River a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families, as well as find family-oriented services and community. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic values. With regard to real estate, Mills River has a high rate of owner-occupied single family homes, which tends to reflect stability in the local community. Finally, Mills River’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

Being a small town, Mills River does not have a public transit system used by locals to get to and from work.

The education level of Mills River ranks among the highest in the nation. Of the 25-and-older adult population in Mills River, 43.46% have at least a bachelor's degree. The typical US community has just 21.84% of its adults holding a bachelor's degree or graduate degree.

The per capita income in Mills River in 2022 was $38,303, which is upper middle income relative to North Carolina and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $153,212 for a family of four. However, Mills River contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Mills River is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Mills River home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Mills River residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Mills River include German, English, Irish, Italian, and Scottish.

The most common language spoken in Mills River is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Native American languages.