Buncombe County vs Forsyth County
A side-by-side comparison of Buncombe County and Forsyth County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buncombe County and Forsyth County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Forsyth County has the higher population (386,740 vs 271,790 in Buncombe County). Buncombe County has the higher median household income ($70,578 vs $65,541 in Forsyth County). Buncombe County has the higher median home value ($360,000 vs $227,800 in Forsyth County).
Population, income & housing
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 271,790 | 386,740 |
| Median age | 42.4 yrs | 38.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $70,578 | $65,541 |
| Median home value | $360,000 | $227,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,281 | $1,046 |
| Housing units | 132,191 | 173,220 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 62.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 36.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 5.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 256,886 → 271,790 (+5.8%) | 375,195 → 386,740 (+3.1%) |
| Median household income | $52,207 → $70,578 (+35.2%) | $51,569 → $65,541 (+27.1%) |
| Median home value | $238,200 → $360,000 (+51.1%) | $159,300 → $227,800 (+43.0%) |
| Median gross rent | $975 → $1,281 (+31.4%) | $812 → $1,046 (+28.8%) |
Buncombe County
256,886271,790
$52,207$70,578
$238,200$360,000
$975$1,281
Forsyth County
375,195386,740
$51,569$65,541
$159,300$227,800
$812$1,046
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.6% | 5.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.5% | 17.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.5% | 10.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.7% | 13.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 12.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.7% | 12.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 12.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.4% | 10.0% |
| 75 and over | 8.4% | 6.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.2% | 54.2% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% | 24.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 2.3% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.3% | 14.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| High school graduate | 22.7% | 24.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 25.0% | 28.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 26.5% | 22.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 18.2% | 14.3% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 72.6% | 75.4% |
| Carpooled | 6.9% | 8.3% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Walked | 2.1% | 1.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 16.2% | 12.6% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 63.8% | 66.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.8% | 4.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.2% | 4.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.2% | 14.4% |
| 20 or more units | 5.8% | 6.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 12.2% | 3.3% |
Poverty & households
| Buncombe County | Forsyth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 14.7% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 2.42 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 21 | 23 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1983 |
Full profiles
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