Chenzhou City is home to 40 ethnic minorities, i.e., Yao, She, Miao, Tujia, Dong, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Buyi, Mongolia, Bai, Yi, Li, Gelao, Hani, Shui, North Korea, Mulao, Lisu, Uygur, Tajik, Uzbek , Ewenki, Tibetan, Jing, Wa, Naxi, Dai, Pumi, Qiang, Gaoshan, Lahu, Tu, Sala, Daur, Dongxiang, Jingpo, Kirgiz, Jino, and Hezhe, together with Han nationality. The people of these minorities amount to 77,736, accounting for 1.797% in the total population of 4,324,812 of the whole city, which shows an increase of 1.3% over the fourth population census in 1990. The number of ethnic minorities rises from 32 to 40 and now Chenzhou City is ranked sixth among Hunan's overall minorities population.

In Chenzhou, Minorities Yao and She have long lived here, with larger populations than other minorities. Minorities of Chenzhou mainly cover such eight counties (cities or districts) as Rucheng, Suxian, Zixing, Yizhang, Guiyang, Linwu, Beihu, and Guidong. In December 1991, Rucheng County established three townships of Yao minority, that is, Yanshou, Lingxiu, and Yingdong, and two towns of Yao minority, that is, Xiaoyuan and Sanjiangkou, on the basis of the existing six townships of Yao minority: Tuanjie in Zixing City, Mangshan in Yizhang County, Yuefeng and Datang in Beihu District (Chen County in original), and Huashan and Yangliu in Guiyang County. In July 1993, Zixing City founded Lianping Township of Yao minority. Linwu County established Xishan Township of Yao minority in November 1994. Until then, Chenzhou had set up 104 villager groups, 50 ethnic villages and 13 towns (or townships) of Yao minority.