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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Buncombe County

North Carolina · 206,330 residents · 656 sq mi
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The short version

Buncombe County is home to 206,330 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 38.9, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Growth has run 18% since 1990, or 31,509 more people. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $102,200. The median household earns $36,666, about 14% below the national median. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.9
US median: 35.2
Average education
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
206,330
+18%since 1990
from 174,821 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
38.9
+6%since 1990
from 36.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
656 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
165K195K225K254K284K19902000201020202024Buncombe County
2024274K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.6%(11,646)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.2%(12,706)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.3%(13,052)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.2%(12,782)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.2%(12,698)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.6%(28,083)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.7%(32,423)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.9%(30,644)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.9%(20,520)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.9%(16,397)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.5%(11,361)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(4,018)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$36,666
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,847 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,384
+54%since 1990
from $13,211 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
11.4%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 11.4% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$102,200
+21%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $64,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$551
+12%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $372 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
70.3%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 70.3% in 1990
29.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic91%(159,005)
Black8.1%(14,108)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(1,161)
Asian0.5%(943)
2000
White, non-Hispanic87.6%(180,721)
Black7.4%(15,310)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(5,730)
Asian0.7%(1,354)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican4.3%(11,896)
Central American1.3%(3,640)
South American1.1%(2,935)
Puerto Rican0.6%(1,775)
Honduran0.5%(1,436)
Salvadoran0.5%(1,240)
Cuban0.3%(949)
Guatemalan0.3%(846)
Colombian0.2%(680)
Ecuadorian0.2%(594)
Venezuelan0.2%(538)
Dominican0.2%(497)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.2%(482)
Argentine0.1%(267)
Chilean0.1%(166)
Peruvian0%(125)
Bolivian0%(91)
Uruguayan0%(48)
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(486)
Filipino0.2%(486)
Korean0.2%(451)
Asian Indian0.2%(432)
Japanese0.1%(340)
Nepalese0.1%(241)
Vietnamese0.1%(177)
Thai0.1%(144)
Pakistani0%(122)
Taiwanese0%(84)
Cambodian0%(22)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0%(17)
Burmese0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(75)
Samoan0%(48)
Ancestry
English26.9%(73,811)
German12.3%(33,776)
Irish10.3%(28,231)
American6.1%(16,808)
Italian4%(10,921)
Scottish3.9%(10,756)
Scotch-Irish2.6%(7,250)
French2.6%(7,010)
Polish1.6%(4,313)
Russian1.1%(3,139)
British0.9%(2,422)
Norwegian0.8%(2,180)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.8%(2,110)
Swedish0.8%(2,073)
Welsh0.7%(1,956)
Greek0.6%(1,762)
Ukrainian0.5%(1,350)
Hungarian0.5%(1,255)
West Indian0.4%(1,170)
French Canadian0.4%(1,043)
Jamaican0.3%(905)
Arab0.3%(858)
Romanian0.3%(744)
Slovak0.2%(682)
Austrian0.2%(671)
Czech0.2%(600)
Lithuanian0.2%(586)
Swiss0.2%(570)
Lebanese0.2%(565)
Danish0.2%(479)
Finnish0.2%(430)
Portuguese0.1%(354)
Belgian0.1%(316)
Brazilian0.1%(228)
Croatian0.1%(188)
Bulgarian0.1%(161)
Palestinian0.1%(160)
Canadian0.1%(152)
Ethiopian0.1%(146)
Haitian0.1%(144)
Turkish0%(119)
Armenian0%(114)
Australian0%(101)
Kenyan0%(87)
Latvian0%(84)
Nigerian0%(81)
Iranian0%(76)
Jordanian0%(60)
Syrian0%(60)
Serbian0%(60)
Egyptian0%(59)
Slovene0%(56)
Israeli0%(46)
Moroccan0%(14)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
25.3%
+6.1 ptssince 1990
from 19.1% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.9%
+7.4 ptssince 1990
from 74.5% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
8.9%
+2.3 ptssince 1990
from 6.7% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.3 min
−28%since 1990
from 18.3 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married26.1%(20,784)
Married61.9%(49,354)
Widowed2.8%(2,234)
Divorced9.3%(7,408)
Women 15+
Never married20.3%(18,083)
Married55.7%(49,727)
Widowed12.4%(11,019)
Divorced11.6%(10,370)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
10.9%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 16.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
49.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 49.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
23.0%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
16.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 15.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.1%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 67.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.2%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 34.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.3%(2,736)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.8%(3,093)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.7%(5,340)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.4%(759)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.1%(156)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 14,160 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Buncombe County

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Pop 275,123
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Pop 263,110
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Pop 263,795
Atlantic County
Pop 278,657
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Head to head

Compare Buncombe County to nearby counties

BUNCOMBE COUNTY VS
Henderson County
Income$68,187+86%
Home value$351,400+244%
Population122,375−56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUNCOMBE COUNTY VS
Madison County
Income$58,531+60%
Home value$284,600+178%
Population22,553−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUNCOMBE COUNTY VS
Yancey County
Income$58,709+60%
Home value$243,100+138%
Population19,084−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUNCOMBE COUNTY VS
Haywood County
Income$61,912+69%
Home value$279,200+173%
Population63,369−77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Buncombe County, North Carolina?

Buncombe County, North Carolina has about 206,330 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Buncombe County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Buncombe County, North Carolina earns about $36,666 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Buncombe County, North Carolina expensive?

In Buncombe County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $102,200, and the typical rent is about $551 a month.

How educated are people in Buncombe County, North Carolina?

About 25.3% of adults age 25 and over in Buncombe County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Buncombe County, North Carolina?

About 11.4% of people in Buncombe County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Buncombe County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Buncombe County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 31,509 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →