Avery County is a county in North Carolina, United States, in the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Tennessee border. It had a population of 17,806 at the 2020 census and covers 247 square miles (640 km2), centred near 36°04′N 81°55′W.
Newland is the county seat, and its postal code is 28657. The county has 6 incorporated towns and about a dozen unincorporated communities, sits in the Eastern time zone, and is North Carolina’s youngest county, organised in 1911.
Towns & Villages in Avery County
Avery County has 6 incorporated towns and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities scattered through its mountain valleys. Below, Town marks an incorporated municipality, City · seat the county seat, and CDP a census-designated place with no municipal government. Population figures are 2020 census counts; a dash means no count is published for that place.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newland | City · seat | 715 | 28657 |
| Banner Elk | Town | 1,049 | 28604 |
| Beech Mountain | Town | — | — |
| Crossnore | Town | — | 28616 |
| Elk Park | Town | — | 28622 |
| Seven Devils | Town | — | — |
| Linville | CDP | — | 28646 |
| Altamont | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cranberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Frank | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gragg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Heaton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ingalls | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Minneapolis | Unincorp. | — | 28652 |
| Montezuma | Unincorp. | — | 28653 |
| Pineola | Unincorp. | — | 28662 |
| Plumtree | Unincorp. | — | 28664 |
| Roaring Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
The county seat moved once: Elk Park was the original county seat when the county formed in 1911, before the courthouse relocated to Newland when its own building was completed in 1912.
ZIP Codes
- 28657 — Newland
- 28604 — Banner Elk
- 28622 — Elk Park
- 28646 — Linville
- 28652 — Minneapolis
- 28616 — Crossnore
- 28664 — Plumtree
- 28653 — Montezuma
- 28662 — Pineola
Beech Mountain and Seven Devils share carrier routes with neighboring post offices and have no dedicated ZIP code of their own.
Geography
Avery County sits high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, with elevations running from valley floors near 2,800 feet to Grandfather Mountain’s ridgeline above 5,900 feet, one of the highest points in the Appalachians east of the Mississippi. The county is almost entirely land, with the North Toe River and its tributaries draining the northern half toward the Nolichucky watershed and the Linville River carving Linville Gorge along the southern edge. Roughly a third of the county’s land lies within Pisgah National Forest.
Avery County borders Johnson County, Tennessee to the north, Carter County, Tennessee to the northwest, Watauga County to the northeast, Caldwell County to the east, Burke County to the south, McDowell County to the southwest, and Mitchell County to the west.
Demographics
Avery County counted 17,806 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 72 people per square mile. Banner Elk and Newland are the two largest incorporated communities, though most residents live outside town limits in unincorporated valleys and along mountain ridges. Median household income runs well below the North Carolina median of $70,804, reflecting the county’s seasonal-tourism and service-sector economy; second homes and short-term rentals make up a large share of the housing stock, especially around Banner Elk, Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism drives Avery County’s economy year-round: Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain resorts bring winter skiing and summer mountain-biking crowds, while Grandfather Mountain’s mile-high swinging bridge and the Blue Ridge Parkway draw hikers and leaf-peepers in the fall. Banner Elk is home to Lees-McRae College, a small liberal-arts school founded in 1900, and hosts the annual Woolly Worm Festival each October, where a caterpillar race is said to forecast the coming winter. Christmas tree farming is a major agricultural industry across the county’s higher elevations, and Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville serves as the area’s main health-care provider.
History
Avery County was created in 1911 from parts of Mitchell, Caldwell and Watauga Counties, making it the youngest of North Carolina’s 100 counties. It is named for Waightstill Avery, a Revolutionary War colonel and North Carolina’s first attorney general. Elk Park briefly served as county seat before Newland’s courthouse was finished in 1912. The area’s iron and mica mines drew early settlement, and the arrival of the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad (“Tweetsie”) in the early 1900s opened the high country to timber and, later, tourism.
Getting There
US 19E, US 221, and NC 105, NC 181 and NC 194 are the main highways through the county; the Blue Ridge Parkway also crosses its southern end near Linville.
- Boone, North Carolina — 18 miles northeast
- Johnson City, Tennessee — 30 miles northwest
- Asheville, North Carolina — 55 miles southwest
- Hickory, North Carolina — 45 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) near Johnson City, Tennessee; Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is a somewhat longer drive but offers more flight options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Avery County, North Carolina?
It sits in the northwestern corner of the state, in the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Tennessee border, between Boone and the Roan Highlands.
What is the population of Avery County?
17,806 people, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Avery County?
247 square miles (640 km2), nearly all of it land.
What is the county seat of Avery County?
Newland is the county seat.
How many towns are in Avery County?
Six incorporated towns — Newland, Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Crossnore, Elk Park and Seven Devils — plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Avery County?
Nine ZIP codes serve the county, led by 28657 (Newland) and 28604 (Banner Elk).
What is Avery County known for?
Grandfather Mountain, the Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain ski resorts, and Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.