Highlands, North Carolina

About Highlands

Highlands is a small town in southwestern North Carolina with an estimated population of 1,119.

Highlands holds the status of an incorporated town — local government on a neighborly scale. The community covers 6.25 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 179 residents per square mile.

📰 Highlands News Today

• Road Trip Issue 2026: Highlands, N.C. Nashville Scene · Aug 13
• I Went On A 3-Day "Campcation" As A Non-Granola Girlie & It Was Something Else Elite Daily · Aug 17
• HCFF | The Gardener Film + Garden Visit + Meet the Director at Highlands PAC Laurel Magazine · Aug 15
• These 4 Western NC towns among Travel + Leisure's best for a weekend trip The Asheville Citizen Times · Aug 14
• Forman Capital Refinances Sagee Manor Estate in Highlands, North Carolina citybiz · Aug 5

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Highlands Unique

• Positioned in southwestern North Carolina, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of North Carolina — one of 776 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• Quiet streets and a slower rhythm — the kind of place people move to on purpose.
• Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 10 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Highlands

• Lakeside Restaurant — seafood
• The Ruffed Grouse — american
• Wolfgang's Restaurant and Wine Bistro — american
• BlackBear Breakfast and Lunch
• Highlands Smokehouse
• Kelsey Place Restaurant
• Los Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant
• Madison's Restaurant
• Midpoint Restaurant — regional
• Ristorante Paoletti

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• Highlands Nature Center · Museum

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Highlands

• Blue Valley Experimental Forest reviews ★
• Brushy Face Preserve · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Dixon Park reviews ★
• Ellicott Rock Wilderness · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Highlands Recreation Park reviews ★
• Kelsey Trail Preserve · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Kelsey-Hutchinson Park reviews ★
• Overflow Wilderness Study Area · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Ralph and Louise Sargent Preserve · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Ravenel Park reviews ★
• Rhododendron Park reviews ★
• Satulah Mountain Preserves · Nature reserve reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Highlands

• Highlands School

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare

• Highlands Cashiers Hospital · 24/7 ER · Critical Access Hospitals

Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Highlands

🏘️ Nearby Communities