Buncombe County, North Carolina

13 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 271,790
Median household income: $70,578
Median home value: $360,000

Home to 271,790 residents, Buncombe County is one of North Carolina's counties. 13 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $70,578 runs in line with the North Carolina figure of $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, Buncombe County's population grew 5.8% from 256,886 to 271,790, while its median household income rose 35.2% from $52,207 to $70,578.

44.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 64.4% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 271,790
Median age: 42.4 yrs
Median household income: $70,578
Median home value: $360,000
Median gross rent: $1,281
Housing units: 132,191
Homeownership rate: 64.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 44.6%
Unemployment rate: 3.5%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

256,886271,790

Median household income

$52,207$70,578

Median home value

$238,200$360,000

Median gross rent

$975$1,281

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	256,886	$52,207	$238,200	$975
2020	259,576	$55,032	$250,600	$1,019
2021	266,981	$59,699	$273,900	$1,094
2022	269,449	$66,531	$328,900	$1,209
2023	271,790	$70,578	$360,000	$1,281

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 54.6%

5 to 1713.5%

18 to 247.5%

25 to 3413.7%

35 to 4413.9%

45 to 5412.7%

55 to 6413.3%

65 to 7412.4%

75 and over8.4%

	Count	Share
Under 5	12,489	4.6%
5 to 17	36,650	13.5%
18 to 24	20,508	7.5%
25 to 34	37,168	13.7%
35 to 44	37,808	13.9%
45 to 54	34,556	12.7%
55 to 64	36,039	13.3%
65 to 74	33,804	12.4%
75 and over	22,768	8.4%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	220,778	81.2%
Black or African American	14,644	5.4%
American Indian & Alaska Native	295	0.1%
Asian	3,122	1.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	95	0.0%
Some other race	1,034	0.4%
Two or more races	9,379	3.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	22,443	8.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma7.7%

High school graduate22.7%

Some college or associate's25.0%

Bachelor's degree26.5%

Graduate or professional degree18.2%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	15,555	7.7%
High school graduate	45,861	22.7%
Some college or associate's	50,521	25.0%
Bachelor's degree	53,513	26.5%
Graduate or professional degree	36,693	18.2%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 21 min

Drove alone72.6%

Carpooled6.9%

Public transit0.8%

Walked2.1%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home16.2%

Other means1.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	94,283	72.6%
Carpooled	8,967	6.9%
Public transit	1,042	0.8%
Walked	2,773	2.1%
Bicycle	226	0.2%
Worked from home	20,996	16.2%
Other means	1,615	1.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	26,733	24.5%
15 to 29 min	60,009	55.1%
30 to 44 min	15,397	14.1%
45 to 59 min	3,299	3.0%
60+ min	3,468	3.2%

Households

Average household size: 2.58
Poverty rate: 11.8% (31,202 of 265,007)

	Count	Share
Family households	61,710	60.1%
Nonfamily households	40,962	39.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1989

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	102,672	77.7%
Vacant	29,519	22.3%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	66,159	64.4%
Renter-occupied	36,513	35.6%

1-unit, detached63.8%

1-unit, attached2.8%

2 to 4 units5.2%

5 to 19 units10.2%

20 or more units5.8%

Mobile home & other12.2%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	84,383	63.8%
1-unit, attached	3,750	2.8%
2 to 4 units	6,858	5.2%
5 to 19 units	13,450	10.2%
20 or more units	7,609	5.8%
Mobile home & other	16,141	12.2%

Geography

County GEOID: 37021
State: North Carolina
Land area: 656 sq mi
Water area: 3.45 sq mi
Center point: 35.6094, -82.5304