Inside WNC is a permanent feature from Carolina Public Press that profiles each of the 18 westernmost counties of North Carolina. This is your guide, including direct links, to elected officials, key agencies and departments, plus information on the county’s wages, housing, education and more.
First published on Oct. 9.
The Graham County Courthouse, in Robbinsville, N.C. Angie Newsome/Carolina Public Press
Graham County
Graham County, N.C., map courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, via Wikipedia.
Geography and Population
Graham County is bordered by Swain and Macon counties to the east, Cherokee County to the south and Tennessee to the west.
Map courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Land area in square miles: 292.08
Persons per square mile (2010): 30.3
Population, 2011 estimate: 8,802
American Indian or Alaska Native: 6.6 percent
Asian: 0.3 percent
Black: 0.4 percent
Hispanic or Latino origin: 2.4 percent
White non-Hispanic: 89.1 percent
People reporting two or more races: 1.7 percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
U.S., State and Local Officials, Key Agencies
U.S. elected officials
U.S. Senate
Sen. Richard Burr (R)
Washington address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3154
Fax: (202) 228-2981
Email contact form
Asheville address: Federal Building, 151 Patton Ave., Suite 204
Asheville, N.C. 28801
Phone: (828) 350-2437
Fax: (828) 350-2439
Information on Burr’s support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us
Sen. Kay Hagan (D)
Washington address: 521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6342
Fax: (202) 228-2563
Email contact form
Asheville address: 82 Patton Ave., Suite 635
Asheville, N.C. 28801
Phone: (828) 257-6510
Fax: (828) 257-6514
Information on Hagan’s support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us
U.S. House: 11th Congressional District
Rep. Mark Meadows (R)
Washington address: 1516 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6401
Email contact form
Hendersonville address: 200 N. Grove St.
Hendersonville, N.C. 28792
Phone: (828) 693-5660
Information on Meadows’ support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us
N.C. Elected Officials
N.C. Senate District 50
Sen. Jim Davis (R)
Address: N.C. Senate
16 W. Jones St., Room 2111
Raleigh, N.C. 27601-2808
Phone: (919) 733-5875 and (828) 342-4483
Email: Jim.Davis@ncleg.net
N.C. House District 120
Rep. Roger West (R)
Address: N.C. House of Representatives
16 W. Jones St., Room 1229
Raleigh, N.C. 27601-1096
Phone: (919) 733-5859 and (828) 837-5246
Email: Roger.West@ncleg.net
County Officials and Agencies
Graham County Board of Commissioners
County Commissioners Chairman: Mike Edwards
Address: 12 N. Main St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-7961
Email: n/a
County Manager: Greg Cable
Address: 12 N. Main St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-7960
Email: greg.cable@grahamcounty.org
Sheriff: Mickey Anderson
Address: 45 S. Main St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28871
Phone: (828) 479-3352
Email: anderson.mickey50@yahoo.com
Graham County Department of Social Services
Director: Donna Cody
Address: 196 Knight St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-7911
Email: n/a
Graham County Department of Public Health
Director: Alicia Parham
Address: 21 S. Main St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-7900
Email: alicia.parham@graham.nc.gov
Member of the Southwestern North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission (Southwestern Commission), which covers the westernmost part of the state, specifically Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.
County Seat
Robbinsville
Population (2010): 620
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Mayor: Bobby Cagle Jr.
Address: 4 Court St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-3250
Email: townofrobbinsville@hotmail.com
Town Manager: n/a
Address: n/a
Phone: n/a
Email: n/a
Town Government Office Address: 4 Court St., Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Law Enforcement Agencies
Cherokee Police Department Sub Station
Address: 60 Indian School Road
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
(828) 479-2818
Email: n/a
Graham County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff: Mickey Anderson
Address: 45 S. Main St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-3352
Email: anderson.mickey50@yahoo.com
Voter Information
Graham County Board of Elections
Director: Teresa Garland
Address: 18 Court St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-7969
Email: graham.boe@ncsbe.gov
Chair: Dirk Cody
Address: n/a
Phone: n/a
Email: n/a
Court System
Judicial District 30A
Graham County Courthouse
Address: 12 Court St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-7986
Clerk of Superior Court: Tammy H. Holloway
Phone: (828) 479-7986
Email: n/a
District Attorney Michael Bonfoey
Phone (Murphy office for Cherokee and Graham counties): (828) 837-7818
Email: n/a
The dam at Lake Santeetlah, located in Graham County and pictured on Aug. 18, 2012. Hank Shell/Carolina Public Press
Economy and Employment
Unemployment rate, January 2013: 20.4 percent
Unemployment rate, January 2012: 20 percent
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce – Labor and Economic Analysis Division
Top three industries, by employment (2010, most current):
Construction: 471
Health care and social assistance: 350
Retail trade: 241
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau
Largest Employer (Second quarter of 2012, most current): Stanley Furniture Company Inc.
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau
Graham County Chamber of Commerce
421 Rodney Orr Bypass
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 735-4907
Email contact form
Graham County Travel and Tourism
Address: 837 Rodney Orr Bypass
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-3790 or (800) 470-3790
Email contact form
Wages, Housing and Education
Per capita money income in past 12 months (2010 dollars) 2006-2010: $17,825
Persons living below poverty level 2006-2010: 19.5 percent
Median household income 2006-2010: $28,447
Median owner-occupied housing value: $119,000
High school graduates, age 25+ (2006-2010): 79.4 percent
Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+ (2006-2010): 13 percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Number of homeless (January 2012 point-in-time count, most current): 1
Source: North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness
Graham County Schools
Four-year cohort high school graduation rates, as of September 2012: 93.6
Source: N.C. Department of Public Instruction
Graham County Schools Board of Education
Address: 52 Moose Branch Road
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-9820
Email: n/a
School Board Chair: Todd Odom
Address: 52 Moose Branch Road
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-9820
Email: n/a
School Superintendent: Chip Carringer
Address: 52 Moose Branch Road
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-9820
Email: ccarringer@graham.k12.nc.us
Higher education*
Tri-County Community College Graham County Center
Address: 45 Moose Branch Road
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-9256
Email: n/a
Enrollment: n/a
Top Healthcare Provider*
Graham County Department of Public Health
Director: Alicia Parham
Address: 21 S. Main St.
Robbinsville, N.C. 28771
Phone: (828) 479-7900
Email: alicia.parham@graham.nc.gov
Crime and Law Enforcement
Crime Rate Per 100,000 (2011): Data not available.
Violent Crime Rate: Data not available.
Property Crime Rate: Data not available.
Number of registered sex offenders: 18
Source: N.C. Department of Justice
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is located in Graham County, outside of Robbinsville, N.C. Angie Newsome/Carolina Public Press
*Listings are for entities headquartered in the county and do not include satellites, branches or other service information for others with operations in the county.
Contributors Kathleen O. Davis and Clay Hurand supplied additional research to this report.
This page will be regularly updated. Contact us with updates or questions.
