$523,432Average Value$346Average Price per Sq Ft27Homes For Sale
Vilas offers quiet, country living in the Blue Ridge Mountains
A High Country town in Watauga County, Vilas was established in 1885 when it got its first post office and zip code. “Vilas is historically a farming community with tracts of land that have been in families for generations,” says Jonathan Lehman, a local broker with Keller Williams who has lived in the area for 25 years. “But today, like other towns in Watauga County, Vilas has become a second-home community for folks in Raleigh and Charlotte. Also mixed in there are full-time families who work in town and have kids in the schools.” In addition to a highly rated school district, this mountain town offers plenty of hiking areas, some off the beaten path and some marked by the county. Country backroads lead residents home to cabins secluded on mountain bluffs or tucked in the woods. “People find that it’s a nice, safe environment when they move there.”
Vilas, NC, is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains at an elevation of 2,746 feet, offering scenic views and access to outdoor activities like hiking and fishing.
Vilas offers a peaceful, family-friendly lifestyle with abundant outdoor activities and a welcoming community.
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Log cabins line backroads, and gated Valle Cay offers custom builds
The residential community of Vilas features bending country roads that branch off into narrow unmarked backroads that weave through the mountainous and wooded landscape. First-time buyers or retirees can find quaint manufactured ranch-styles and cottages with pastoral views, some with attached garages and wide front porches. These 1,000- to 2,000-square-foot single level properties, many built in the 1960s, usually sit on an acre and can cost from $290,000 to $425,000. Buyers can also find two-story Craftsman homes built as early as the 1930s and newer log cabins with Grandfather Mountain views or wooded seclusion. With 1,500 to 2,500 square feet of interior space, these slightly larger properties usually sit on one to two acres and offer detached garages, wrap-around balconies or attached patio additions. Their price tags can range from $450,000 to $750,000.
Vilas features a coveted gated community, Valle Cay, where custom-built contemporary log cabins and other Mountain Architecture styles with stone facades and multi-level patios give residents both mountain views and privacy. “Valle Cay is beautiful,” Lehman says. “It’s one of the best constructed and designed developments up here.” Within the gates, 3,000- to 8,000-square-foot properties built between 2007 and 2024 typically sit on multiple acres and feature multi-car attached garages. Residents pay varying monthly HOA fees, and price tags can range from $1.25 million to $2.65 million.
Vilas residents enjoy cabin living that often fosters a minimalist lifestyle, with an emphasis on connecting with nature and enjoying off-grid or eco-friendly living solutions.
Valle Cay is a private, gated community in Vilas, featuring lakes, hiking trails, and homes designed to blend with the natural mountain landscape.
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Watauga County Schools serve Vilas, and App State is nearby
Students living in Vilas are part of Watauga County Schools, which receives an A grade from Niche. “The school district here is typically ranked in the top 3 every year out of the 100 counties in our state,” Lehman says. Kindergarteners through eighth-grade learners can start at Valle Crucis School before progressing to Watauga High School, both of which receive an A-minus. The high school offers a virtual Watauga Innovation Academy, as well as more than 35 student clubs including Future Fire and EMS Club and Mountain Alliance.
Education can continue about 5 miles east in Boone, where Appalachian State University is home to about 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students. More commonly called App State, the public university recently earned a Research 2 Designation.
Appalachian State University is just miles from Vilas, and was founded in 1899 and offers over 150 majors with a focus on sustainability and regional impact.
Valle Crucis Elementary School emphasizes environmental stewardship with outdoor learning programs and eco-friendly facilities.
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Valle Crucis Park and the Watauga River offer outdoor adventure
Vilas residents can take advantage of Valle Crucis Community Park, a 28-acre outdoor recreation space located on the south side of town. Open to the public all year, the park offers two different playgrounds for younger and older children, a basketball court, a 1-mile paved walking path with unpaved extensions along the Watauga River and a gazebo popular for weddings and other events. “Valle Crucis is pretty amazing. It’s 100% built with private money, so they don’t have to abide by state regulations,” Lehman says. “Every Friday night in the summer, they have live music. There will be 1,000 to 1,500 people from all over the area out there.” In addition to the access point at Valle Crucis, locals can get to the Watauga River from multiple spots throughout town. There’s a rocky area and a sandy beach area where the river is calmer, popular in the summer. There are also fly-fishing spots and kayak launch areas, as well as hiking paths along the river.
Valle Crucis Community Park is open year-round and is a nonprofit supported by community donations of Vilas locals and other areas as well as volunteers.
Vilas locals enjoy the incredible summer weather and the variety of outdoor activities surrounding the area, like fly fishing on the Watauga River.
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Cove Creek Store and Mast General Store are classic highway stops
Residents can run errands along U.S. Route 321, or Highway 321, the town’s main thoroughfare. At Vilas’ east end, Cove Creek Store is a community market that offers an assortment of items, from gas and groceries to home goods and hardware. The convenience store also has a bakery that sells wholesale goods and individual servings, as well as a grill that prepares made-to-order breakfast sandwiches and barbeque platters. “Cove Creek Store has a cool country flavor to it,” Lehman says. “But if you’re looking for a bigger retail location, Mast General Store is a 100-something year old general store that’s become iconic. It’s a chain now, but the one in Vilas is the original. The owners are great philanthropists in our area that do all kinds of things for our schools.” Whether passing through or local, visitors stop at Mast General Store for food, clothes, home goods and hunting gear.
Cove Creek Store in Sugar Grove, just minutes from Vilas, offers groceries, fuel, hardware, and fresh-baked goods, serving as a local hub for the Cove Creek community.
Mast General Store of Valis opened in 1883 and remains a beloved historic general store with vintage goods and a cozy atmosphere.
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U.S. Route 321 connects Vilas to other High Country towns
Commuters can use U.S. Route 321, Vilas’ main artery, to access other High County communities. The highway also leads to Charlotte, about 110 miles south. “Charlotte Douglas International Airport is our main hub,” Lehman says. “It’s about a two-hour drive away.” There are no public trains or bus routes in the car-dependent Vilas, but the Appalachian Campus Area Transit serves the neighboring town of Boone.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
Photography Contributed By
Justin Stapp
Video By
Jacob Branchaud
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GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Vilas, NC sell after 93 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Vilas, NC over the last 12 months is $430,000, up 30% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Just minutes from downtown Boone in the charming community of Willow Mountain, this fully renovated and furnished mountain cabin offers an exceptional combination of comfort, flexibility and income potential. On over an acre with a level front yard, easy year-round access, ample parking and a nearby babbling stream, the setting evokes a peaceful, park-like atmosphere ideal for full-time living,
Jessica Auten
Premier Sotheby's International Realty- Banner Elk
Just outside historic Valle Crucis and only seven miles from downtown Boone, this beautifully maintained two-bedroom, two-bath cabin offers the ideal blend of privacy, comfort and convenience with short-term rentals allowed. Set on 1.83 acres in The Greene Place—an established community of 12 well-kept homes—this property enjoys mountain views and overlooks a tranquil pond and rustic barn. Custom
Jessica Auten
Premier Sotheby's International Realty- Banner Elk
Just minutes from Boone and Valle Crucis and central to all the High Country's attractions, 671 Bairds Creek Road is a move-in-ready retreat with year-round mountain views, short- or long-term rental potential and a spacious double lot with dual access points—one from a state-maintained road. This home blends privacy, charm and thoughtful updates including Pella windows and exterior doors, a
Jessica Auten
Premier Sotheby's International Realty- Banner Elk
Nestled in a peaceful valley just 5 miles from downtown Boone, this 3-bedroom, 2-bath home offers the perfect balance of quiet country living and convenient access to town. Situated next to the picturesque Shipley Farm on a spacious 0.5-acre lot, this older home provides beautiful mountain views, ample parking, and room to spread out.Inside, you'll find a cozy layout with central heating
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