With 18,797 people, Yancey County is a county in North Carolina. At a median age of 49.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 79% of the housing stock. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $243,100.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $58,709, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 64%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Yancey County
What changed most since 1990
White share98.1% → 90.8%(−7.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median age37.9 → 49.2(+11.3 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Median home value (2024 dollars)$119,523 → $243,100(+103%)US over the same years: +67%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)15.5%(160)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)11%(113)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era51.8%(534)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.4%(66)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(17)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,031 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Yancey County, decade by decade
Yancey County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
15,419
$46,564
$119,523
10.0%
4.6
2000
17,774
$54,056
$148,283
13.1%
10.1
2010
17,818
$51,361
$186,583
15.2%
15.5
2020
18,470
$54,001
$202,289
20.3%
23.3
2024
18,797
$58,709
$243,100
25.1%
21.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
How many people live in Yancey County, North Carolina?
Yancey County, North Carolina has about 18,797 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Yancey County, North Carolina?
The typical household in Yancey County, North Carolina earns about $58,709 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Yancey County, North Carolina expensive?
In Yancey County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $243,100, and the typical rent is about $882 a month.
How educated are people in Yancey County, North Carolina?
About 25.1% of adults age 25 and over in Yancey County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Yancey County, North Carolina?
About 15.2% of people in Yancey County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Yancey County, North Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Yancey County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,378 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
