Buncombe County vs Cumberland County
A side-by-side comparison of Buncombe County and Cumberland County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buncombe County and Cumberland County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Cumberland County has the higher population (336,749 vs 271,790 in Buncombe County). Buncombe County has the higher median household income ($70,578 vs $58,780 in Cumberland County). Buncombe County has the higher median home value ($360,000 vs $183,700 in Cumberland County).
Population, income & housing
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 271,790 | 336,749 |
| Median age | 42.4 yrs | 31.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $70,578 | $58,780 |
| Median home value | $360,000 | $183,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,281 | $1,156 |
| Housing units | 132,191 | 143,184 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 53.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 27.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 7.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 256,886 → 271,790 (+5.8%) | 332,861 → 336,749 (+1.2%) |
| Median household income | $52,207 → $70,578 (+35.2%) | $46,875 → $58,780 (+25.4%) |
| Median home value | $238,200 → $360,000 (+51.1%) | $135,300 → $183,700 (+35.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $975 → $1,281 (+31.4%) | $941 → $1,156 (+22.8%) |
Buncombe County
256,886271,790
$52,207$70,578
$238,200$360,000
$975$1,281
Cumberland County
332,861336,749
$46,875$58,780
$135,300$183,700
$941$1,156
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.6% | 7.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.5% | 17.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.5% | 12.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.7% | 16.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 12.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.7% | 10.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 10.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.4% | 7.7% |
| 75 and over | 8.4% | 5.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.2% | 40.6% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% | 36.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 1.0% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 2.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 5.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.3% | 12.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.7% | 7.4% |
| High school graduate | 22.7% | 26.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 25.0% | 39.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 26.5% | 17.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 18.2% | 9.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 72.6% | 76.7% |
| Carpooled | 6.9% | 9.8% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 0.4% |
| Walked | 2.1% | 5.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 16.2% | 6.5% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 63.8% | 64.6% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.2% | 7.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.2% | 12.7% |
| 20 or more units | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 12.2% | 8.3% |
Poverty & households
| Buncombe County | Cumberland County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 17.2% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 2.49 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 21 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1987 |
Full profiles
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