Mars Hill is a town located in Madison County, North Carolina. It is the home of Mars Hill University, the name of which was inspired by Acts 17:22. The town is located 15 miles (24 km) due north of Asheville.
The university is remaining true to its tradition of service, learning and leadership which have been hallmarks of the Mars Hill experience since 1856. Mars Hill University, a private, coed, liberal-arts college, is located in Mars Hill. Founded in 1856 by local Baptists, it is the oldest college or university in western North Carolina. Although it is no longer directly associated with a Baptist church or organization, the university does state that “it is an academic community rooted in the Christian faith.”
Due to the presence of the university, residents of the town of Mars Hill enjoy a much greater variety of cultural, intellectual, and entertainment offerings than would usually be found in a town of its size. The university’s enrollment typically runs from 1300 to 1600 students; they are not included in the census calculations of the town’s population.
The history of Madison County can be explored at the Rural Heritage Museum on the campus of Mars Hill University. For information about current exhibits, contact the university at www.mhu.edu.
Mars Hill Information
Madison County Visitors Center
(828) 680-9031
www.visitmadisoncounty.com
Geography
Mars Hill is located at 35°49’43” North, 82°32’52” West (35.828496, -82.547843)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all of it land. The town has an elevation of 2,330 feet (710 m), so the climate of the area is considerably cooler than might be expected of a town in a southern state.
Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,007 people, 742 households, and 440 families residing in the town.
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,764 people, 541 households, and 312 families residing in the town. The population density is 352.9/km2 (911.7/mi2). There are 586 housing units at an average density of 117.2/km2 (302.9/mi2). The racial makeup of the town is 91.21% White, 5.95% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.36% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 541 households out of which 20.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% are married couples living together, 11.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% are non-families. 33.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.10 and the average family size is 2.68.
In the town the population is spread out with 11.7% under the age of 18, 43.1% from 18 to 24, 16.2% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 23 years. For every 100 females there are 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $32,917, and the median income for a family is $45,000. Males have a median income of $29,615 versus $23,625 for females. The per capita income for the town is $13,366. 16.9% of the population and 11.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 21.1% of those under the age of 18 and 14.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
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