Yancey County is a county in North Carolina, United States, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Tennessee border northeast of Asheville. It had a population of 18,470 at the 2020 census, covering 312.59 square miles (809.6 km2) of land, centred near 35°53′N 82°18′W. Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the eastern United States at 6,684 feet, sits inside the county on the Buncombe County line.
Burnsville is the county seat, and its postal code is 28714. The county has one incorporated town and about a dozen unincorporated mountain communities, no cities and no census-designated places. Yancey runs on Eastern time.
Towns & Villages in Yancey County
Burnsville is the only incorporated municipality; everywhere else in the county is unincorporated, named for a creek, ridge, or old post office rather than a city charter.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnsville | Town · seat | 1,614 | 28714 |
| Micaville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Celo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pensacola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Mountain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bald Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bent Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Busick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cane River | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ramseytown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Swiss | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sioux | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 28714 — Burnsville (post office town, also serves the surrounding county seat area)
Most other Yancey communities do not carry their own dedicated ZIP code and use a Burnsville or neighboring-town address; the county’s postal map is not verified beyond Burnsville, so no other codes are published here.
Geography
Yancey County is almost entirely mountainous, part of the Black Mountain and Blue Ridge ranges, with the Toe and Cane rivers draining its narrow valleys. Mount Mitchell State Park covers the county’s highest ground. Yancey borders Mitchell County to the northeast, McDowell County to the southeast, Buncombe County to the southwest, Madison County to the west, and Unicoi County, Tennessee, to the northwest.
Demographics
Yancey County had 18,470 residents at the 2020 census. Burnsville, the county seat, is the largest single community, followed by Micaville. North Carolina’s 2023 ACS median household income is $70,804; Yancey, a rural mountain county with a small commercial base, typically runs below the state figure. Population density is light given the mountainous terrain, with most residents spread along river valleys rather than concentrated in towns.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism, forestry, small-scale farming, and crafts anchor the local economy, drawing on the county’s Blue Ridge Parkway access and Mount Mitchell State Park. Mayland Community College, based nearby in Spruce Pine, serves county residents for workforce training. The Mount Mitchell Crafts Fair and the Burnsville area’s autumn leaf season are the county’s biggest annual visitor draws, peaking each October.
History
Yancey County was formed in 1833 from parts of Buncombe and Burke counties and named for Bartlett Yancey, a U.S. congressman and Speaker of the North Carolina Senate. Cherokee communities occupied this stretch of the Southern Appalachians before European settlement. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought severe flooding to the county, damaging infrastructure and permanently closing Micaville Elementary School.
Getting There
US 19, US 19E, US 19W, and the Blue Ridge Parkway are the county’s main routes, with NC 80, NC 128, and NC 197 connecting the smaller communities.
- Asheville — 30 miles southwest
- Spruce Pine — 15 miles east
- Marshall — 25 miles west
- Johnson City, Tennessee — 45 miles northwest
Asheville Regional Airport is the nearest commercial airport. There is no Amtrak service in Yancey County; the closest station is in Greenville, South Carolina.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Yancey County?
It is in the mountains of western North Carolina, on the Tennessee border northeast of Asheville.
What is the Burnsville postcode?
28714.
What is the population of Yancey County?
18,470 at the 2020 census.
What is the county seat of Yancey County?
Burnsville is the county seat.
What is the highest point in Yancey County?
Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet, the highest peak in the eastern United States.
What time zone is Yancey County in?
Eastern time.
Which counties border Yancey County?
Mitchell, McDowell, Buncombe, and Madison counties in North Carolina, and Unicoi County, Tennessee.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.