Mills River is a somewhat small town located in the state of North Carolina. With a population of 7,337 people and three associated neighborhoods, Mills River is the 127th largest community in North Carolina. Much of the housing stock in Mills River was built relatively recently. The construction of new real estate can often be taken as an indication that the local Mills River economy is robust, and that jobs or other amenities are attracting an influx of new residents. This seems to be the case in Mills River, where the median household income is $88,359.00.

Mills River real estate is some of the most expensive in North Carolina, although Mills River house values don't compare to the most expensive real estate in the U.S.

Of important note, Mills River is also a town of artists. Mills River has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Mills River’s character.

A relatively large number of people in Mills River telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 9.88% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Because of many things, Mills River is a great place for families with children to consider. First of all, many other families with children live here, making Mills River a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families, as well as find family-oriented services and community. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic values. With regard to real estate, Mills River has a high rate of owner-occupied single family homes, which tends to reflect stability in the local community. Finally, Mills River’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

Being a small town, Mills River does not have a public transit system used by locals to get to and from work.

Mills River is one of the most well-educated cities in the nation. 41.33% of adults in Mills River have at least a bachelor's degree. Compare that to the average community in America, which has just 21.84% with a bachelor's degree or higher.

The per capita income in Mills River in 2022 was $43,154, which is wealthy relative to North Carolina, and upper middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $172,616 for a family of four. However, Mills River contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Mills River is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Mills River home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Mills River residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Mills River include German, English, Irish, Italian, and Scottish.

The most common language spoken in Mills River is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Native American languages.