Buncombe County vs Gaston County
A side-by-side comparison of Buncombe County and Gaston County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buncombe County and Gaston County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Buncombe County has the higher population (271,790 vs 231,485 in Gaston County). Buncombe County has the higher median household income ($70,578 vs $65,472 in Gaston County). Buncombe County has the higher median home value ($360,000 vs $235,000 in Gaston County).
Population, income & housing
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 271,790 | 231,485 |
| Median age | 42.4 yrs | 39.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $70,578 | $65,472 |
| Median home value | $360,000 | $235,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,281 | $1,085 |
| Housing units | 132,191 | 100,109 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 65.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 26.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.8% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 256,886 → 271,790 (+5.8%) | 219,271 → 231,485 (+5.6%) |
| Median household income | $52,207 → $70,578 (+35.2%) | $52,835 → $65,472 (+23.9%) |
| Median home value | $238,200 → $360,000 (+51.1%) | $144,200 → $235,000 (+63.0%) |
| Median gross rent | $975 → $1,281 (+31.4%) | $832 → $1,085 (+30.4%) |
Buncombe County
256,886271,790
$52,207$70,578
$238,200$360,000
$975$1,281
Gaston County
219,271231,485
$52,835$65,472
$144,200$235,000
$832$1,085
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.6% | 5.8% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.5% | 16.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.5% | 7.9% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.7% | 13.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 12.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.4% | 9.8% |
| 75 and over | 8.4% | 6.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.2% | 67.8% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% | 17.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 1.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.3% | 9.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.7% | 11.9% |
| High school graduate | 22.7% | 29.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 25.0% | 33.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 26.5% | 18.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 18.2% | 7.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 72.6% | 78.2% |
| Carpooled | 6.9% | 9.1% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 2.1% | 1.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 16.2% | 10.3% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 0.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 63.8% | 72.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.2% | 7.5% |
| 20 or more units | 5.8% | 2.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 12.2% | 8.7% |
Poverty & households
| Buncombe County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 12.8% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 2.47 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 21 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1982 |
Full profiles
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