Town · North Carolina
Burnsville, North Carolina
Burnsville, town, in Yancey County, North Carolina. Burnsville had 1,655 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,614 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,082 (±474). GEOID 3709140.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,655
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,614 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,082 ±474
Median household income
$50,997
±$6,679 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$243,500
±$29,367 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$862
±$295 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Burnsville and what county is it in?
Burnsville is a town in Yancey County, North Carolina. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 1,009 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Burnsville, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,655 people lived in Burnsville on July 1, 2025, up 2.7% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,614 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,082 (±474).
| Measure | Burnsville | Yancey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,082 ±474 | 18,797 | no clear change |
| Households | 983 ±230 | 8,130 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.00 ±0.21 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,254 ±238 | 11,376 | no clear change |
Burnsville's population since 2000
From 1,623 in 2000 to 1,655 in 2025: up 2.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Burnsville as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Burnsville?
The median resident of Burnsville is 43.2 years old; 18.4% are under 18 and 26.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.3%.
| Measure | Burnsville | Yancey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.2 ±10.9 | 49.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.4% ±4.3 pts | 18.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.2% ±8.7 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Male | 51.6% ±4.7 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.3% ±5.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.0% ±6.2 pts | 90.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±2.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±3.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.3% ±2.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.4% ±4.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.9% ±4.9 pts | 6.7% | – |
| With a disability | 16.3% ±5.5 pts | 18.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.2% ±4.2 pts | 7.2% | −8.5 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.9% ±4.4 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.0% ±7.4 pts | 25.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.5% ±3.3 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.5% ±4.7 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±1.6 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Burnsville earn?
Half of Burnsville's 983 households earn less than $50,997 a year (±$6,679), against $58,709 in Yancey County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $42,655 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 26.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Burnsville | Yancey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,997 ±$6,679 | $58,709 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,970 ±$16,972 | $83,965 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,761 ±$8,433 | $36,664 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 26.1% ±6.9 pts | 15.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 37.5% ±17.0 pts | 17.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.5% ±7.4 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.2% ±6.3 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.5% ±7.6 pts | 81.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Burnsville?
Owners occupy 48.6% of Burnsville's occupied homes and renters 51.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $243,500 by its owner (±$29,367). The median renter pays $862 a month including utilities, and 30.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Burnsville | Yancey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $243,500 ±$29,367 | $243,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $862 ±$295 | $882 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.3% ±13.2 pts | 42.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,533 ±$293 | $1,378 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 48.6% ±11.1 pts | 79.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 51.4% ±11.1 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,254 ±238 | 11,376 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 56.5% ±10.1 pts | 73.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.5% ±4.3 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.4% ±1.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.1% ±7.7 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.2% ±6.3 pts | 4.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Burnsville building?
Builders took permits for 6 new housing units in Burnsville in 2025 (6 in single-family houses), 3.6 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Burnsville work and get to work?
83.0% of Burnsville's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 27.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.9%.
| Measure | Burnsville | Yancey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 50.8% ±9.6 pts | 54.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.9% ±6.9 pts | 7.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 83.0% ±8.3 pts | 78.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.9% ±5.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±2.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.5% ±6.4 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.9 min ±4.3 | 27.1 min | +7.9 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Burnsville?
No census tract lies mostly in Burnsville; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602Yancey County | 4,657 | $61,170 |
| Tract 9603Yancey County | 3,031 | $53,918 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Burnsville) · Census block assignment files
How does Burnsville compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Burnsville is the 8,401st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 278th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Burnsville ranks 315th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 278th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 218th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 189th | 443 |
| Median household income | 315th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 196th | 443 |
| Median home value | 220th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 273rd | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 64th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 230th | 421 |
| Median age | 160th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 387th | 443 |
| Travel time to work | 107th | 439 |
Burnsville's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Burnsville with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Burnsville?
18 of the 57 figures for Burnsville on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Burnsville are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Burnsville.