# Mars Hill, North Carolina

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. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## 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.

## Geography

Mars Hill is in eastern Madison County, 17 miles (27 km) by road north of Asheville. Interstate 26 passes just east of the town, with access from Exit 11 (NC 213). The Interstate leads south to Asheville and north 43 miles (69 km) to Johnson City, Tennessee. U.S. Route 19 leads northeast from Mars Hill 12 miles (19 km) to Cane River, and State Highway 213 passes through the center of town, leading west 9 miles (14 km) to Marshall.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km$^2$), all land. It is drained mainly by Gabriel Creek, which flows through the west side of town. Some of the eastern side is drained by tributaries of Big Branch. Both streams flow south to Ivy Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the French Broad River.
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.

## Higher education

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. The name was inspired by Acts 17:22. 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.

## Demographics
### 2020 census

Mars Hill racial composition :
| Race | Number | Percentage |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,615 | 80.47% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 139 | 6.93% |
| Native American | 5 | 0.25% |
| Asian | 23 | 1.15% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 98 | 4.88% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 126 | 6.28% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,007 people, 742 households, and 440 families residing in the town.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,764 people, 541 households, and 312 families residing in the town. The population density was 911.7 inhabitants per square mile (352.0/km$^2$). There were 586 housing units at an average density of 302.9 per square mile (117.0/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the town was 91.21% White, 5.95% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.85% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.
There were 541 households, out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.68.
In the town, the population was 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 were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,917, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $29,615 versus $23,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,366. About 11.1% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 64 or over.

## Notable people

* John Chandler – educator
* Tommy Hunter – fiddler
* Bascom Lamar Lunsford – folklorist and performer of traditional folk and country music from Western North Carolina
* Graham Martin – former United States Ambassador to South Vietnam
* Ray Rapp – former member of the North Carolina General Assembly