North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Yancey County, NC

Prices around Yancey County, NC run 5.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, North Carolina). The typical household there earns $58,709 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $935 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $37,400 a year.

Yancey County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$58,709$4,892 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$935HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)94.3-5.7% · BEA, North Carolina
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population18,797Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Yancey County, NC?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$935Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$37,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,468At 30% of $58,709
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Yancey County, NC? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Yancey County, NC, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Yancey County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$708$8,496$28,32014.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$713$8,556$28,52014.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$935$11,220$37,40019.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,233$14,796$49,32025.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,238$14,856$49,52025.3%

Rent in Yancey County, NC, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Yancey County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $58,709 a year ($4,892 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,446/moRent ($935 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,468/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$978/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $58,709 leaves after North Carolina taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and North Carolina tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$58,709
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$58,709
Net 81%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,519After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,960Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,828Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,865 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,834 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,491 / yr

Living in Yancey County, NC: common questions

What is the median household income in Yancey County, NC?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Yancey County, NC is $58,709 per year (approximately $4,892 per month).

What is the average rent in Yancey County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $708 for a studio, $713 for one bedroom, $935 for two, $1,233 for three and $1,238 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Yancey County, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 5.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for North Carolina is 94.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Yancey County, NC?

To keep a $935 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $37,400 a year, or $3,117 a month. That is 64% of what the typical household in Yancey County, NC earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Yancey County, NC?

On the local median income of $58,709 ($4,892 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,446 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,468 for everything else and $978 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $935 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Yancey County, NC?

Homes in North Carolina paid 14.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $133. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.