Yancey County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Yancey County has a population of 18,797 residents and a median age of 49.2 years, making it the #1,944 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 15.2%. The median home value is $243,100, and the median household income is $58,709, which is 22% below the national median.
Demographics
Yancey County has a population of 18,797, making it the #1,944 most populous county in the US. The median age is 49.2 years, which is 26.5% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Yancey County is $58,709, ranking #2,201 out of 3,222 counties — 21.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 15.2% and unemployment stands at 7.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Yancey County is $243,100 (-13.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $882/mo and the homeownership rate is 79.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Yancey County, 25.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 25.6% below the national average, ranking #1,214 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Yancey County is 76.0 years. 16.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.0% of adults in Yancey County smoke , 32.3% are obese , and 20.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 26.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 24.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.5 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
22.0% of children in Yancey County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 25.6 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Yancey County is 79.5%. The mean commute time is 30.3 min, which is 9.8% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Yancey County voted Republican with a margin of 34.5%. The vote was 32.3% Dem / 66.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Yancey County, North Carolina
Yancey County, North Carolina has a total population of 18,797, making it the 1,944th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Yancey County is 49.2 years, which is 26.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Yancey County is $58,709, which ranks #2,201 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 21.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 15.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.3%.
The median home value in Yancey County is $243,100, 13.8% below the national median. Renters in Yancey County pay a median gross rent of $882 per month. The homeownership rate is 79.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Yancey County, 25.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 25.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 30.3 min.
Yancey County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 90.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.8%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
All data for Yancey County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.