Polk County vs Yancey County
A side-by-side comparison of Polk County and Yancey County: population, income, housing, and more.
Polk County and Yancey County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Polk County has the higher population (19,689 vs 18,676 in Yancey County). Polk County has the higher median household income ($61,005 vs $54,961 in Yancey County). Polk County has the higher median home value ($281,100 vs $222,300 in Yancey County).
Population, income & housing
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,689 | 18,676 |
| Median age | 54.4 yrs | 47.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $61,005 | $54,961 |
| Median home value | $281,100 | $222,300 |
| Median gross rent | $1,089 | $807 |
| Housing units | 10,949 | 11,317 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 77.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.9% | 23.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 6.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,557 → 19,689 (-4.2%) | 17,760 → 18,676 (+5.2%) |
| Median household income | $48,787 → $61,005 (+25.0%) | $42,222 → $54,961 (+30.2%) |
| Median home value | $225,700 → $281,100 (+24.5%) | $157,100 → $222,300 (+41.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $851 → $1,089 (+28.0%) | $634 → $807 (+27.3%) |
Polk County
20,55719,689
$48,787$61,005
$225,700$281,100
$851$1,089
Yancey County
17,76018,676
$42,222$54,961
$157,100$222,300
$634$807
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 3.6% | 5.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 12.0% | 13.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.6% | 10.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.9% | 12.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.5% | 14.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.8% | 15.4% |
| 75 and over | 15.2% | 11.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.2% | 91.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.1% | 0.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.5% | 5.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.1% | 11.9% |
| High school graduate | 27.2% | 35.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.8% | 30.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 20.3% | 15.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.6% | 7.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 74.6% | 80.4% |
| Carpooled | 11.0% | 7.3% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.9% | 1.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 12.1% | 8.7% |
| Other means | 0.3% | 2.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 78.8% | 72.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.6% | 3.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.5% | 2.6% |
| 20 or more units | 3.0% | 1.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 11.6% | 20.0% |
Poverty & households
| Polk County | Yancey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 14.9% |
| Average household size | 2.22 | 2.26 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 28 | 28 |
| Median year structure built | 1982 | 1987 |
Full profiles
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