Townapedia
St Mary's Church, Whitby (interior) 2
St Mary's Church, Whitby (interior) 2 · Agnete, CC BY-SA 4.0
McConnell Hall, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill, NC (32806509998)
McConnell Hall, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill, NC (32806509998) · Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School, Mars Hill, NC
Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School, Mars Hill, NC · Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
Old Mars Hill High School, Mars Hill, NC (39716791883)
Old Mars Hill High School, Mars Hill, NC (39716791883) · Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0

Mars Hill, North Carolina

Mars Hill is a town of 3,025 people in Madison County, North Carolina.

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Population3,025 +19.2% since 2019
Elevation2,320 ft 707 m
Land area2.1 sq mi
ZIP code28754
Nearest airportBarker Private STOL Airport (53NR) 14 mi

Why visit Mars Hill

Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 14 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Mars Hill University, Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School and Meares Stadium.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 24°F, and about 26 inches of snow fall in a normal year.

About Mars Hill

Mars Hill is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,007 at the 2020 census, up from 1,869 in 2010. It is the home of Mars Hill University. The town is in western North Carolina, north of Asheville, and is served by Interstate 26.

From the Wikipedia article Mars Hill, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do4

T J's Mountain Market

Farm and orchard · 0.6 mi

607 Carl Eller Road, Mars Hill

Open in Google Maps · +18286898343

Owen Theatre

Cinema and theater

44 College Street

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Anderson Amphitheatre

Cinema and theater

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Ellen Amphitheatre

Cinema and theater

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Museums and landmarks4

Mars Hill University

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Formerly Mars Hill College, a four-year university in Mars Hill, North Carolina

100 Athletic Street, Mars Hill

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia · +1-866-642-4968

Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi

Historic school building in North Carolina, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Mars Hill High School

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi

School building in Mars Hill, North Carolina

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Parks, trails and playgrounds3

Meares Stadium

Sports field and stadium

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Mars Hill Recreation Park

Park · 0.8 mi

690 Park Drive, Mars Hill

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Smith Farm Trailhead

Hiking and trails · 1.2 mi

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Restaurants and cafes14

Waffle House

Diner · American · 0.8 mi

695 Carl Eller Road, Mars Hill

24/7

Open in Google Maps · +18286893129

Stackhouse

Diner · American

37 South Main Street, Mars Hill

Open in Google Maps · +18286801213

Taco Fiesta II Mexican Kitchen

Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi

611 Carl Eller Road, Mars Hill

Open in Google Maps · +18286892666

Wagon Wheel

Diner · American · 0.5 mi

390 Carl Eller Road, Mars Hill

Open in Google Maps · +18286894755

Mars Hill American Grill

Restaurant · 0.9 mi

844 Carl Eller Road, Mars Hill

Open in Google Maps · +18286809700

Rio's Mexican Kitchen

Restaurant · Mexican

14 South Main Street, Mars Hill

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The Original Papa Nicks

Restaurant · Italian

2 South Main Street, Mars Hill

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Elevate Nutrition Mars Hill

Cafe

20 Cascade Street

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Hickory Nut Gorge Brewery

Brewery and winery

70 North Main Street, Mars Hill

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Jimmys Munch Box

Restaurant · 0.8 mi

759 Carl Eller Road

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Smokin' Joe Lasher

Restaurant · 0.5 mi

525 Cascade Street

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The Library Coffee House

Cafe

40 North Main Street, Mars Hill

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2 more on the map.

History

Long occupied by indigenous peoples, this area was not settled by European Americans much before the Revolutionary War. They were mostly yeomen and subsistence farmers, many of whom had Scotch-Irish ethnicity. The California Creek Missionary Baptist Church, Mars Hill College Historic District, Mars Hill High School, and Thomas J. Murray House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

From the History section of Mars Hill, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay2

Churches and places of worship12

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Shopping5

Gas and EV charging4

Schools, colleges and libraries4

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Healthcare2

Map of Mars Hill

54 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 3.3 in of rainFebruary: 2.8 in of rainMarch: 3.8 in of rainApril: 3.7 in of rainMay: 3.8 in of rainJune: 4.2 in of rainJuly: 4.4 in of rainAugust: 3.8 in of rainSeptember: 3.4 in of rainOctober: 2.3 in of rainNovember: 2.8 in of rainDecember: 3.4 in of rainJanuary: 46°FFebruary: 51°FMarch: 59°FApril: 69°FMay: 76°FJune: 82°FJuly: 85°FAugust: 84°FSeptember: 79°FOctober: 70°FNovember: 59°FDecember: 49°FJanuary: 24°FFebruary: 26°FMarch: 31°FApril: 38°FMay: 48°FJune: 57°FJuly: 61°FAugust: 60°FSeptember: 54°FOctober: 41°FNovember: 30°FDecember: 26°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan46°F24°F3.3 in6.5 in
Feb51°F26°F2.8 in6.6 in
Mar59°F31°F3.8 in4.3 in
Apr69°F38°F3.7 in0.8 in
May76°F48°F3.8 in0.0 in
Jun82°F57°F4.2 in0.0 in
Jul85°F61°F4.4 in0.0 in
Aug84°F60°F3.8 in0.0 in
Sep79°F54°F3.4 in0.0 in
Oct70°F41°F2.3 in0.1 in
Nov59°F30°F2.8 in0.3 in
Dec49°F26°F3.4 in7.0 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Marshall Hcn (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$81,429median household income
$294,700median home value
$1,043median monthly rent
27.6median age
48.1%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
64.6%of homes are owner-occupied
26.9 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1821%18 to 3434%35 to 6431%65 and over14%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Madison County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.

  • 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
  • 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
  • 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
  • 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
  • 2021-09-08: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred (Hurricane)
  • 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Barker Private STOL Airport (53NR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.