County · code 37121
Mitchell CountyNorth Carolina
Mitchell County is a county in North Carolina, with its seat at Bakersville, formed in 1861.
- Founded1861
- County seatBakersville
- Named forElisha Mitchell
- Land area221 sq mi + 0.6 sq mi water
- Population14,903 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped17,826 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Mitchell on the map of North Carolina
North Carolina has 100 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1861 from Caldwell County, Watauga County and Yancey County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Mitchell County was created on February 16, 1861, from parts of Caldwell, Watauga, and Yancey Counties. The county is named after Elisha Mitchell. In 1911, Avery County was created from Mitchell County.
- 1861Mitchell County created Mitchell created from Caldwell, Watauga, and Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1860-1861, pub., ch. 8, sec. 1/p. 14
- 1861Lost territory Mitchell lost to Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1861, 2d ext. sess., priv., ch. 34, secs. 1-2/pp. 90-91
- 1866Gained territory Mitchell gained from Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1866, spec. sess., priv., ch. 70, sec. 1/p. 141
- 1872Gained territory Mitchell gained from Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1871-1872, pub., ch. 36, sec. 1/p. 41
- 1911Lost territory Mitchell lost to creation of Avery. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1911, pub., ch. 33, secs. 1, 15/pp. 62-69
Show all 8 changes
- 1861Mitchell County created Mitchell created from Caldwell, Watauga, and Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1860-1861, pub., ch. 8, sec. 1/p. 14
- c. 1861Lost territory Mitchell lost to Caldwell. · N.C. Sess. Laws, 1861, 1st ext. sess., priv., ch. 22
- 1861Lost territory Mitchell lost to Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1861, 2d ext. sess., priv., ch. 34, secs. 1-2/pp. 90-91
- 1866Gained territory Mitchell gained from Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1866, spec. sess., priv., ch. 70, sec. 1/p. 141
- 1872Gained territory Mitchell gained from Yancey. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1871-1872, pub., ch. 36, sec. 1/p. 41
- 1889Changed Boundary between Mitchell and Yancey defined (no change). · N.C. Sess. Laws 1889, pub., ch. 289, sec. 1/pp. 292-293
- 1893Changed Act of 7 March 1889, defining boundary between Mitchell and Yancey, repealed (no change). · N.C. Sess. Laws 1893, pub., ch. 139, sec. 1/p. 106
- 1911Lost territory Mitchell lost to creation of Avery. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1911, pub., ch. 33, secs. 1, 15/pp. 62-69
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Mitchell
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 17,826 parcels from Mitchell County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 13 February 2025 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 11,471 in all from NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (CGIA, NC Dept of Information Technology) for NC OneMap, with the North Carolina 911 Board (AddressNC program).
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Mitchell by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Mitchell County's official site
We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.
County government
- County government
The official website of Mitchell County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Mitchell County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Mitchell County
- When was Mitchell County founded?
- Mitchell County was founded in 1861, formed from Caldwell County, Watauga County and Yancey County, and named after Elisha Mitchell.
- What is the county seat of Mitchell County?
- The county seat of Mitchell County is Bakersville.
- Is there an online parcel map for Mitchell County?
- Yes. Mitchell County publishes a parcel map of 17,826 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Mitchell County's boundary or name changed?
- Mitchell County was created in 1861 from Caldwell County, Watauga County and Yancey County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, chiefly involving Yancey County, Avery County and Caldwell County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Mitchell County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby