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Sylva

North Carolinatown

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Total population

2,646

Air quality index

36Good
Weather66°F · Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Coordinates35.38°, -83.22°

Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

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City facts

Overview

As a town in North Carolina, United States, Sylva occupies its own corner of the country. Located at 35.375°, -83.218°, Sylva occupies a warm-temperate portion of the northern hemisphere. It is home to roughly 2,646 residents. Open solar datasets indicate about 1,575 kWh/m² of solar irradiance per year, combined with sunshine for roughly 62% of daylight hours. At 323 people per km², the town shows a medium-density urban fabric. Climate records indicate average highs near 68.1°F and lows near 49.4°F and about 54.9 in of annual precipitation (a wet total). It covers about 8.2 km² of land area. Climatically, locations at this latitude tend to experience warm summers and cool winters. Detailed open-data panels follow, covering demographics, climate, geography, wildlife and nearby settlements.

Summary composed automatically from structured open data on this page. See our Terms for details.

History & geography

Demographics & economy

Geography

Latitude
35.3754
Longitude
-83.2185
Water area
—
View on OpenStreetMap

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Climate

Avg high
68.1°F
Avg low
49.4°F
Annual precipitation
54.9 in

10-year averages from ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo).

Current forecast

Tonight
66°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Sunday
85°F
Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Sunday Night
64°F
Partly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
Monday
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Monday Night
66°F
Partly Cloudy
Tuesday
89°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Forecast for Sylva, NC from NOAA NWS API.

Air quality

US AQI — Good
36
PM2.5 (µg/m³)
3.5
PM10 (µg/m³)
3.6
Ozone (µg/m³)
63
NO₂ (µg/m³)
1

Current readings from Open-Meteo Air Quality API (Copernicus CAMS European reanalysis).

Industrial & pollution facilities

Natural hazard risk

Health (adults)

Walkability

Amenities nearby

Wildlife & biodiversity

Observations (last 5 yrs, 10 mi)
153,443
Distinct species (top 10)
10

Most-observed species

  • American Crow
    Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
    6,242
  • Northern Cardinal
    Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    5,539
  • Carolina Chickadee
    Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
    5,536
  • Tufted Titmouse
    Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
    5,351
  • Carolina Wren
    Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
    5,276
  • Eastern Towhee
    Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    5,019
  • Blue Jay
    Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    4,334
  • American Goldfinch
    Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    4,018

Citizen-science & research observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Schools

Earthquake history

Quakes ≥ 2.5 (25 yrs, 62 mi)
77
Largest magnitude
4.1
Largest event
2025-05-10

Most recent

Events from the USGS Earthquake Catalog (global) (FDSN Event Web Service).

Photos

Sights & places nearby

Notable people from here

Nick Searcy
Nick Searcy
American actor
Michael Bingham
Michael Bingham
American-born British athletics competitor
David McKee Hall
David McKee Hall
American politician (1918-1960)
Johnny Oates
Johnny Oates
American baseball player and coach (1946-2004)
John R. Brinkley
John R. Brinkley
American fraudulent physician (1885-1942)
Ed Sutton
Ed Sutton
American football player (1935-2008)
Ric Savage
Ric Savage
American professional wrestler
J
Jimmy Streater
Professional football player (1957-2004)
E
Eric Streater
American football player (born 1964)
Evy Leibfarth
Evy Leibfarth
American canoeist and kayaker
J
Jerry Monteith
M
Marthalou Hunter
U.S. military veteran (1914–2006)
Cal Raleigh
Cal Raleigh
American baseball player (born 1996)
G
George W. McCoy
American editor

People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.

Geography & sun

Avg solar (kWh/m²/day)
4.31
Annual solar (kWh/m²)
1,575

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Nearby airports

Public attention

Wikipedia views (last 30 days)
2,628
Avg daily Wikipedia views
91
Attention level
Quiet

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Sylva

Population & economy, Sylva, North Carolina
Population & economy, Sylva, North Carolina
Sylva Planning Board · 1965
Simulated peak flows and water-surface profiles for Scott Creek near Sylva, North Carolina
Benjamin F. Pope · 1996
Mica deposits of the Franklin-Sylva District, North Carolina
Mica deposits of the Franklin-Sylva District, North Carolina
Jerry Chipman Olson · 1946
Sylva South quadrangle, North Carolina--Jackson Co
United States Geological Survey · 2001
Sylva
Lynn Hotaling · 2008
The man who lived on Main Street
The man who lived on Main Street
Sol Schulman · 2003
A mountain song
A mountain song
Bruce Dennis Carden · 2000
Chinquapins and chestnuts
Richard Ashe · 1998

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

Ground air-quality sensors

Recently spotted species

Six-spotted Neolema
Six-spotted Neolema
Neolema sexpunctata
Seen 2026-07-25
Bordered Wedge-shaped Beetle
Bordered Wedge-shaped Beetle
Macrosiagon limbata
Seen 2026-07-25
House Centipede
House Centipede
Scutigera coleoptrata
Seen 2026-07-24
Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander
Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander
Plethodon metcalfi
Seen 2026-07-24
Yellow Stone
Yellow Stone
Eccoptura xanthenes
Seen 2026-07-24
Silver-spotted Skipper
Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus
Seen 2026-07-24
Pure Green Sweat bee
Pure Green Sweat bee
Augochlora pura
Seen 2026-07-24
American Elk
American Elk
Cervus canadensis canadensis
Seen 2026-07-23
North American River Otter
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
Seen 2026-07-23

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Nearest stream gauge

Site
TUCKASEGEE RIVER AT BARKER'S CREEK, NC
Distance
4.2 mi
Streamflow
666 cfs
Gage height
3.95 ft

Live readings from USGS NWIS · measured 2026-07-25 20:15 UTC.

Events

Gallery

Geotagged photos within ~6 miles of Sylva, from Wikimedia Commons contributors.

College Hill Standpipe, Sylva, NC (49611347566) — Sylva, United States0 miCollege Hill Standpipe, Sylva, NC (49611603862) — Sylva, United States0 miCollege Hill Standpipe, Sylva, NC (49610829113) — Sylva, United States0 miCollege Hill Standpipe, Sylva, NC (49611347206) — Sylva, United States0 miSylva Fire Department and College Hill, Sylva, NC (49081662483) — Sylva, United States0.1 miSpeedy's Pizza Sign, Sylva, NC (49082184371) — Sylva, United States0.1 miOld Light Fixture, Innovation Brewing Company, Sylva, NC (49112774076) — Sylva, United States0.1 miOld Light Fixture, Innovation Brewing Company, Sylva, NC (49112773961) — Sylva, United States0.1 miJackson Paper Manufacturing Plant, Sylva, NC (49112898437) — Sylva, United States0.1 miJackson Paper Manufacturing Plant, Sylva, NC (49112898117) — Sylva, United States0.1 miRestroom Tile, Innovation Brewing Company, Sylva, NC (49112964302) — Sylva, United States0.1 miCollege Hill, Sylva, NC (49082390622) — Sylva, United States0.1 mi1952 Willys Jeep Station Wagon, Main Street, Sylva, NC (50307625213) — Sylva, United States0.1 mi1952 Willys Jeep Station Wagon, Main Street, Sylva, NC (50308299596) — Sylva, United States0.1 miAerial view of downtown Sylva, North Carolina, in Jackson County 07 — Sylva, United States0.1 miAerial view of downtown Sylva, North Carolina, in Jackson County 08 — Sylva, United States0.1 miMain Street, Sylva, NC (48327262366) — Sylva, United States0.2 miMain Street, Sylva, NC (48327262286) — Sylva, United States0.2 miJackson County Democrats (49264204361) — Sylva, United States0.2 miMain Street, Sylva, NC (49611612802) — Sylva, United States0.2 miOld Hotel Carolina, Sylva, NC (49611356461) — Sylva, United States0.2 miSylvan Theater Building, Sylva, NC (49610838163) — Sylva, United States0.2 miSylvan Theater Building, Sylva, NC (49611612482) — Sylva, United States0.2 miOld Hotel Carolina, Sylva, NC (49611613082) — Sylva, United States0.2 mi

Photos via Wikimedia Commons — see each image page for license & attribution.

Sources

  • • Open-Meteo (ERA5 reanalysis)
  • • NOAA National Weather Service
  • • Wikimedia Commons
  • • Wikidata
  • • Open-Meteo Air Quality (CAMS)
  • • USGS Earthquake Catalog (global feed)
  • • USGS NWIS (water data)
  • • GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
  • • iNaturalist
  • • Open-Meteo / sunrise-sunset.org
  • • Wikipedia Pageviews API
  • • Open Library