Welcome to
Highlands HOMES FOR SALE
Perched high in the southern Appalachian Mountains, Highlands, NC, is a storybook town known for its cool, crisp air, stunning natural surroundings, and rich cultural offerings. Living in Highlands means experiencing a unique balance of peaceful seclusion and refined living, where outdoor adventure meets artistic expression. From historic cottages tucked into wooded hillsides to luxury mountain estates with sweeping views, the real estate market in Highlands offers a range of options for buyers seeking both charm and sophistication. Demand continues to grow, especially for homes that provide both privacy and access to the area’s many amenities.
The Highlands Lifestyle: Elegant, Active, and Culturally Enriching
The Highlands lifestyle centers around nature, art, and community. Residents enjoy hiking scenic trails, discovering hidden waterfalls, and golfing at some of the region’s most beautiful courses. The town itself is alive with art galleries, boutique shopping, and fine dining, while live music and theater performances add to its cultural vibrancy. With events like the Highlands Food & Wine Festival and year-round outdoor markets, the town fosters a sense of community while celebrating its artistic and culinary scene. Whether enjoying a quiet day by the lake or a night out in town, Highlands offers a lifestyle rooted in luxury and natural beauty.
What is the housing market like in Highlands today?
As of February 2025, the median home price in Highlands reached $1,235,000, a 29.5% increase compared to the previous year. The price per square foot rose to $602, reflecting strong demand and limited inventory. Homes are spending an average of 128 days on the market, which indicates a steady pace with room for buyers to evaluate options before making offers.
How hot is the Highlands housing market?
The market in Highlands is not very competitive. Homes are typically selling for about 8% below list price, and bidding wars are rare. While properties are moving, especially in desirable locations or with unique features, buyers often have time to negotiate and make thoughtful decisions. Highlands remains a top choice for those seeking a refined mountain lifestyle with a slower, more relaxed market tempo.
FIND YOUR Highlands DREAM HOME
Highlands is a town that earns repeat visits. Most buyers discover it through a recommendation, return across different seasons, and make their purchase after understanding that the combination of extreme elevation, walkable town character, and concentrated cultural programming is genuinely unlike anything else in Western NC. The Nth Living team covers Highlands alongside Cashiers, Lake Toxaway, and Asheville — and we work with buyers trying to understand how these markets compare before committing to one.
Highest incorporated town in Eastern US; average summer highs 75–78°F
Incorporated town; county + municipal tax layers; county seat Franklin 18 mi
Highlands proper; Scaly Mountain 28775 also appears in broader searches
Early 2025; low-volume market — verify current figure before citing
Luxury mountain premium; reflects limited new construction inventory
Buyer-favorable; homes typically sell ~8% below list price
The most distinctive Highlands property type — nowhere else in Western NC can you walk from a luxury mountain home to a fine dining restaurant, gallery opening, or performing arts event. In-town locations command significant premiums. Current active examples: 299 Oak Street new development units ($2.6M–$2.7M, multiple units available), 214 South Old Walhalla Road ($6.2M, 3 bed/5 bath), 159 Highlands Point ($2.995M, 4 bed/7 bath).
Large-lot private estates with mountain views, wooded settings, and custom construction — typically 5–15 minutes from downtown rather than walkable. Current active examples: 289 Lower Brushy Face Road ($4.95M, 5 bed/5 bath), Sanctuary Ridge Road lots ($3.575M–$4.995M), 581 Sagee Woods Drive ($32M, 7 bed/11 bath — the top of the current market).
Properties near Highlands Country Club and similar private club settings. Golf is one amenity among many in Highlands rather than the primary purchase driver — a key difference from neighboring Cashiers where club communities define the entire market. Current active examples include Cashiers Road corridor properties.
Smaller residential properties, older construction, and lot offerings — entry into the Highlands market. Current active examples: 60 Bartram Trail, Scaly Mountain ($379,000, 1 bath lot), 12 Hemlock Woods Drive ($625,000, 3 bed/4 bath, pending), 50 Pearl Drive ($650,000, 3 bed/2 bath, pending), 69 Holt Cottage Lane ($975,000, 2 bed/3 bath).
The 299 Oak Street development is the primary active new construction condo offering in Highlands — multiple units currently listed at $2.6M–$2.7M, 3–4 bedrooms. In-town location. Several units available including both for-sale and pending status across the development. Represents the best current opportunity for buyers wanting new construction at an in-town Highlands address.
Highlands is known for four things that distinguish it from every other Western NC mountain community: its extreme elevation (4,118 feet — the highest incorporated town in the Eastern US), its walkable Main Street with genuine cultural programming, its arts scene anchored by The Bascom, and a fine dining concentration that far exceeds what a town of 1,072 permanent residents would typically support.
The Bascom is a visual arts center with rotating exhibitions, artist workshops, and community programming — a genuine regional institution. The Highlands Performing Arts Center brings touring and regional productions year-round. Multiple independent galleries operate along Main Street. For buyers who want cultural programming within walking distance of a mountain home, Highlands is the only Western NC market that delivers this at scale.
Highlands has an unusually concentrated fine dining scene for its permanent population size. Well-regarded restaurants operate in the downtown corridor and the surrounding area. The Highlands Food and Wine Festival is an annual fall event drawing regional chefs and food-focused visitors from across the Southeast. The combination of dining quality and density is a primary purchase driver for buyers who want mountain lifestyle without sacrificing culinary access.
Highlands is surrounded by some of the most accessible waterfall hiking in Western NC. Dry Falls (walk behind the waterfall, US-64), Bridal Veil Falls (US-64), Cullasaja Falls (US-64 gorge), and Glen Falls (short trail) are all within a short drive of downtown. The Nantahala National Forest surrounds the community with extensive trail networks, fishing, and backcountry recreation. Highlands Aerial Park provides zipline and aerial adventure above the treeline.
At 4,118 feet with approximately 80 inches of annual precipitation, Highlands produces a lush, green landscape and genuinely cool summers — one of the coolest communities in the Eastern US in July and August. This is why Florida buyers, unusual in inland NC markets, are a consistent presence in Highlands. The climate is the product, and no amount of development can replicate it at lower elevations.
US-64 waterfall where you walk behind the cascading water — the signature natural attraction near Highlands; accessible year-round from a short paved path
Premier regional visual arts center with rotating exhibitions, artist workshops, and public programming; free admission; walking distance from downtown
Live theater and performance venue downtown; year-round programming including touring productions and regional performances
Moderate trail hike to a series of cascading waterfalls in the Nantahala National Forest; one of the most scenic short hikes accessible from Highlands
Zipline and aerial adventure course above the forest canopy; mountain views; suitable for families and adults; confirm current operating season
Walkable concentration of fine dining restaurants, boutique retail, and art galleries — the defining lifestyle feature of in-town Highlands property ownership
Private club with championship golf course, tennis, and fine dining; membership available to qualifying property owners in the area
Surrounds Highlands on multiple sides; access to extensive hiking, fishing streams, and backcountry recreation directly from the community
The three primary Western NC luxury markets each serve a different buyer profile. Understanding the differences is the most important step in evaluating which community is the right fit.
| Factor | Highlands | Cashiers | Lake Toxaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary appeal | Walkable town — arts, dining, cultural programming | Private golf clubs — Wade Hampton, Mountaintop, High Hampton | Private lake — 640-acre NC's largest private lake |
| Elevation | 4,118 ft (coolest) | 3,484 ft | 3,010 ft |
| Entry price | ~$379K (lot); ~$575K (home) | ~$249K (Cullowhee); ~$785K (club community) | ~$299K (no lake); ~$650K (lake access) |
| Market character | Buyer-favorable; 8% below list; 128 DOM | Low-volume luxury; club properties can move faster | Very low volume; finite waterfront inventory |
| Walkability | Yes — Main Street with dining, galleries, arts | No — club-gated communities | No — private lake community |
| Drive from Atlanta | ~3.5 hours | ~3.5 hours | ~4 hours |
| Best for | Buyers who want mountain lifestyle with town walkability and cultural access | Buyers who want private golf club community and maximum club prestige | Buyers who want private lake — boating, waterfront living |
See our Cashiers NC real estate guide and Lake Toxaway NC real estate guide for the full breakdown of those markets.
What is Highlands NC known for?
Highlands NC is known for being the highest incorporated town in the Eastern United States at 4,118 feet, its walkable Main Street with fine dining and art galleries, The Bascom visual arts center, the Highlands Performing Arts Center, and waterfall hiking including Dry Falls, Glen Falls, and Cullasaja Falls. Average summer highs of approximately 75–78°F make it one of the coolest communities in the Eastern US during July and August — a primary draw for buyers from Atlanta, Charlotte, and Florida. Unlike neighboring Cashiers, Highlands is defined by town character and cultural programming rather than private golf clubs.
How much do Highlands NC homes cost?
Active listings currently range from approximately $379,000 (Scaly Mountain lot) to $32,000,000 (581 Sagee Woods Drive estate, 7 bed/11 bath). Most residential homes list between $575,000 and $6.5M. The median sale price is approximately $1.235M as of early 2025 with a price per square foot of approximately $602. In-town properties with walking-distance access to Main Street, dining, and The Bascom command premiums over comparable properties further out. Homes typically sell approximately 8% below list price with average days on market around 128 — a genuinely buyer-favorable market. Confirm current pricing with Nth Living.
What is the elevation of Highlands NC?
Highlands sits at 4,118 feet above sea level — the highest incorporated town in the Eastern United States. This elevation produces average summer highs of approximately 75–78°F, making it one of the coolest communities in the Eastern US during July and August. Highlands receives approximately 80 inches of precipitation per year, producing the lush, dense forest landscape that surrounds the town. Winters bring meaningful snowfall and below-freezing temperatures.
What county is Highlands NC in?
Highlands is in Macon County, NC. The county seat is Franklin, approximately 18 miles northeast on US-441. Highlands is an incorporated town — buyers are subject to both Macon County property taxes and Town of Highlands municipal taxes, unlike unincorporated Cashiers which has only Jackson County taxes. The zip code is 28741. Scaly Mountain (28775) is a nearby unincorporated community whose listings sometimes appear in broader Highlands market searches.
How does Highlands NC compare to Cashiers NC?
Highlands and Cashiers are 10 miles apart on US-64 but serve distinct buyer profiles. Highlands is a walkable incorporated town with Main Street dining, galleries, and cultural programming — buyers choose it when town character and walkability are primary. Cashiers is organized around private club communities (Wade Hampton, Mountaintop, High Hampton, Chattooga Club, Sapphire Valley) — buyers choose it when private club access and golf are primary. Highlands sits higher at 4,118 ft vs. Cashiers at 3,484 ft. Highlands has more buyer negotiating room (8% below list, 128 DOM). Many buyers in this market ultimately own in both communities.
What are the things to do in Highlands NC?
Top things to do in Highlands NC include: Dry Falls (walk-behind waterfall on US-64), Glen Falls trail hike, Bridal Veil Falls (US-64), Cullasaja Falls, Highlands Aerial Park (zipline and aerial adventure), The Bascom visual arts center, Highlands Performing Arts Center, Main Street dining and galleries, Highlands Country Club (golf, tennis, dining), Nantahala National Forest hiking and fishing, Lake Sequoyah paddle sports, and the annual Highlands Food and Wine Festival. The walkable Main Street with concentrated fine dining and arts is the defining lifestyle feature for in-town property buyers.
Our team covers Highlands alongside Cashiers, Lake Toxaway, and Asheville — we can help you understand how these markets compare and find the property that matches your lifestyle.
If you are looking to buy a new house or sell your house in Central Ohio or Western North Carolina, contact us today. The Nth Degree Companies are truly a “one stop shop” for all your home needs!
