Founded in 1861, Transylvania County got its name, according to one old story, because the early coastal settlers moving inland finally emerged from the dense southeastern woods into what is now Cherryfield, where the local Cherokee had for years set fires to manage their cherry orchards; the settlers had made it “through the woods.”

Ranging in elevation from 1265’ to 6045’, about 50% of Transylvania County’s 379 square miles of land is public, primarily in Pisgah National Forest, Dupont State Forest and Gorges State Park.

There is an average 65.8” of rainfall a year, so that much of our forest land has the precious biological diversity of temperate rain forests, and Transylvania has exceptionally high water quality. In fact, there are so many waterfalls that Transylvania County has long been known as “The Land of Waterfalls.” The average temperature varies from 38°F in mid-winter to 72°F in mid-summer; the average snowfall is a half-foot.

The county seat, Brevard, has a population of around 7,000, its median income is about $35,000, and the median home price is approximately $227,000. The median home price in Transylvania County is $332,000 for the last six months. It is less than a half-hour from the Asheville airport, 30 minutes south of Asheville, 25 minutes west of Hendersonville, an hour north of Greenville, SC, with Charlotte two hours and Atlanta three hours away.

The nation’s first school of forestry was established here, and the Cradle of Forestry is a popular attraction in Pisgah National Forest.

Brevard College is an outstanding small, liberal arts college with an internationally recognized music program.

The county’s schools consistently rank in the top ten in North Carolina public schools.

Transylvania Community Hospital is a full service hospital, with larger hospitals in nearby Hendersonville and Asheville.

Transylvania County Statistics - Population; Elevation; Property Tax; Sales Tax; Transylvania Schools; Hospital