Graham County is a county in North Carolina, United States, in the far southwestern corner of the state along the Tennessee line. It had a population of 8,030 at the 2020 census and covers 301.7 square miles (781 km2) centred near 35°21′N 83°50′W.
Robbinsville is the county seat, and its postal code is 28771. The county has three incorporated towns, one former company village, and about a dozen smaller unincorporated communities, grouped historically into three townships: Cheoah, Stecoah and Yellow Creek. Graham County observes Eastern Time.
Towns & Villages in Graham County
Graham County has three incorporated towns — Robbinsville, Fontana Dam and Lake Santeetlah — plus a resort village and roughly a dozen rural crossroads communities. In the table below, “Unincorp.” marks a place with no municipal government of its own; population and township are shown only where they could be confirmed.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robbinsville | Town · seat | Cheoah | 597 | 28771 |
| Fontana Dam | Town | Yellow Creek | — | 28733 |
| Lake Santeetlah | Town | Cheoah | — | 28771 |
| Fontana Village | Unincorp. | Yellow Creek | — | 28733 |
| Tapoco | Unincorp. | Yellow Creek | — | 28781 |
| Yellow Creek | Unincorp. | Yellow Creek | — | — |
| Stecoah | Unincorp. | Stecoah | — | 28762 |
| Cheoah | Unincorp. | Cheoah | — | — |
| Tulula | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Bear Creek | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Dentons | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hidetown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Jenkins Meadow | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Junction | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| McGuires | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Milltown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Rymers Ferry | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Sweetgum | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Tuskeegee | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Fontana Dam the town and Fontana Village the resort community sit side by side at the foot of the dam and are often confused; the town is the small incorporated municipality, while Fontana Village is the former TVA construction camp, now a privately run resort. Cheoah and Yellow Creek name both a community and the township around it.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Cheoah | — | Robbinsville, Lake Santeetlah |
| Stecoah | — | Stecoah |
| Yellow Creek | — | Fontana Dam, Fontana Village, Tapoco |
The three townships date to the county’s original 1872 organisation and are still used for voting-precinct and tax-map purposes; they carry no separate government.
ZIP Codes
- 28771 — Robbinsville (also serves Lake Santeetlah and Cheoah township)
- 28733 — Fontana Dam (also serves Fontana Village and Tapoco)
- 28762 — Stecoah
Most of the county’s small crossroads communities have no post office of their own and are served by the Robbinsville or Fontana Dam ZIPs above.
Geography
Graham County is mountainous and heavily forested; the Nantahala National Forest covers roughly two-thirds of its land area, and the Appalachian Trail crosses the northern end of the county along the ridge above Fontana Lake. Fontana Lake, an impoundment of the Little Tennessee River, forms the county’s northern border with Swain County, and the Cheoah River and Lake Santeetlah, a reservoir on the Cheoah River, drain the interior. Graham borders Blount County, Tennessee to the north, Swain County to the northeast, Macon County to the southeast, Cherokee County to the south, and Monroe County, Tennessee to the west. Read more about Swain County, Macon County, and Monroe County, Tennessee.
Demographics
Graham County had 8,030 residents at the 2020 census, making it the third-least-populous county in North Carolina. Robbinsville, the largest place, had 597 residents; Fontana Dam and Lake Santeetlah are both much smaller. Household income here trails North Carolina’s statewide figure, the North Carolina median of $70,804, as is typical of the state’s mountain counties. With 301.7 square miles of land and water, the county has a population density of roughly 27 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Graham County’s economy runs on forestry, small manufacturing, tourism and public-sector jobs. Robbinsville’s Stanley Furniture plant was long the county’s largest private employer before it closed in 2014; Graham County Schools and the county government remain among the biggest employers today. Tourism centers on Fontana Lake, Lake Santeetlah, Fontana Dam and the surrounding Nantahala National Forest, which draw anglers, hikers and Appalachian Trail through-hikers. The Snowbird community in the southern part of the county is home to Cherokee, North Carolina, Eastern Band trust land and cultural sites tied to the historic Snowbird Cherokee settlement.
History
Graham County was formed on January 30, 1872, from the northeastern part of Cherokee County, and was named for William A. Graham, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina and the state’s governor from 1845 to 1849. A long-running boundary dispute with Tennessee over the county’s northern line was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1914 in North Carolina’s favor. Fontana Dam, built by the Tennessee Valley Authority between 1942 and 1944 to supply wartime power, was at the time the tallest dam east of the Mississippi River; the construction camp built to house its workers grew into today’s Fontana Village.
Getting There
US 129 and NC 28 are the county’s main highways, both known locally for their tight mountain curves; US 129’s “Tail of the Dragon” section along the Tennessee line is a well-known destination for motorcyclists. NC 143 runs through Robbinsville toward Stecoah and the Nantahala Gorge.
- Bryson City — about 20 miles northeast
- Murphy — about 25 miles southwest
- Andrews — about 20 miles south
- Asheville — about 75 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Asheville Regional Airport, roughly 75 miles east of Robbinsville.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Graham County, North Carolina?
It sits in the far southwestern corner of North Carolina, bordering Tennessee, between the Nantahala and Great Smoky Mountains.
What is the population of Graham County?
8,030 people, per the 2020 census, making it one of North Carolina’s least populous counties.
How big is Graham County?
301.7 square miles (781 km2), most of it forested mountain terrain.
What is the county seat of Graham County?
Robbinsville, ZIP code 28771.
How many towns are in Graham County?
Three incorporated towns — Robbinsville, Fontana Dam and Lake Santeetlah — plus the resort community of Fontana Village and about a dozen smaller unincorporated places.
What ZIP codes are in Graham County?
28771 (Robbinsville), 28733 (Fontana Dam) and 28762 (Stecoah).
What is Fontana Village?
A former Tennessee Valley Authority construction camp built during World War II to house Fontana Dam’s workforce; it now operates as a resort next to the incorporated town of Fontana Dam.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.