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METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Asheville Metro

Asheville, NC · 3 counties · 261,059 residents · 1,479 sq mi
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The short version

Asheville is home to 261,059 people. The median age is 37.9, about 5 years above the US median. 73% of homes are owner-occupied. The population has fallen 17% since 2000. The typical home is worth $66,985. Households take in $25,697 at the median, 15% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 37.9
US median: 33.0
Average education
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 16%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
261,059
−17%vs 2000
vs 315,138 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
177 / sq mi
−17%vs 2000
vs 213 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
37.9
−5%vs 2000
vs 40.0 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
1,479 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
246K292K338K384K430K19902000201020202024Asheville
2024415K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56%(15,599)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.8%(15,097)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.3%(16,333)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.6%(17,165)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.2%(16,233)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3414.9%(38,990)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.2%(39,781)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5411.1%(29,052)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6410.2%(26,530)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 7410.2%(26,645)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.7%(14,761)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.9%(4,873)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$25,697
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $36,720 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,078
−36%vs 2000
vs $20,321 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
11.7%
+0.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 11.2% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$66,985
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $104,468 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$363
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $529 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
72.5%
−0.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 73.1% in 2000
27.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic88.8%(279,843)
Black5.8%(18,156)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(10,876)
Asian0.6%(1,940)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic92.7%(242,112)
Black6.3%(16,439)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(1,902)
Asian0.5%(1,276)
Other0.5%(1,232)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.3%(22,084)
Central American1.4%(5,530)
Puerto Rican0.8%(3,306)
Salvadoran0.5%(1,904)
Honduran0.4%(1,684)
Guatemalan0.4%(1,663)
Colombian0.4%(1,524)
Cuban0.3%(1,183)
Spaniard0.2%(762)
Ecuadorian0.2%(652)
Dominican0.1%(583)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.1%(566)
Chilean0.1%(390)
Argentine0.1%(356)
Peruvian0%(132)
Nicaraguan0%(119)
Bolivian0%(102)
Uruguayan0%(48)
Asian origin
Korean0.2%(739)
Filipino0.2%(731)
Chinese0.2%(639)
Asian Indian0.2%(598)
Japanese0.1%(405)
Vietnamese0.1%(317)
Cambodian0.1%(307)
Nepalese0.1%(241)
Thai0%(191)
Pakistani0%(122)
Taiwanese0%(84)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0%(64)
Burmese0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(75)
Samoan0%(48)
Fijian0%(21)
Ancestry
English23.8%(98,507)
German12.3%(51,002)
Irish11%(45,494)
American7.7%(31,880)
Scottish3.9%(16,276)
Italian3.6%(15,080)
Scotch-Irish2.9%(12,065)
French2.4%(10,068)
Polish1.6%(6,827)
Dutch0.9%(3,814)
Russian0.9%(3,661)
Swedish0.8%(3,479)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.8%(3,342)
Welsh0.8%(3,307)
British0.8%(3,244)
Hungarian0.5%(2,058)
Greek0.5%(2,050)
Ukrainian0.4%(1,724)
French Canadian0.4%(1,599)
West Indian0.3%(1,284)
Arab0.3%(1,066)
Czech0.2%(1,000)
Jamaican0.2%(975)
Austrian0.2%(871)
Romanian0.2%(840)
Slovak0.2%(839)
Swiss0.2%(833)
Finnish0.2%(784)
Danish0.2%(764)
Lithuanian0.2%(715)
Portuguese0.1%(617)
Lebanese0.2%(593)
Belgian0.1%(494)
Canadian0.1%(388)
Croatian0.1%(307)
Brazilian0.1%(262)
Bulgarian0%(186)
Haitian0%(173)
Palestinian0.1%(160)
Ethiopian0%(155)
Armenian0%(152)
Australian0%(134)
Turkish0%(131)
Kenyan0%(122)
Israeli0%(108)
Nigerian0%(104)
Slovene0%(94)
Latvian0%(89)
Moroccan0%(86)
Syrian0%(78)
Serbian0%(78)
Iranian0%(76)
Jordanian0%(60)
Guyanese0.1%(60)
Egyptian0%(59)
Ghanaian0%(16)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.7%
−5.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 24.4% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
73.8%
−7.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 81.5% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
6.4%
−2.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.2 min
+38%vs 2000
vs 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married35.6%(60,349)
Married51.7%(87,624)
Widowed2.9%(4,918)
Divorced9.8%(16,698)
Women 15+
Never married28.8%(53,092)
Married48.4%(89,250)
Widowed10.4%(19,089)
Divorced12.4%(22,808)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
11.2%
−5.4 ptssince 2013
from 16.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 49.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
19.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
16.9%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 15.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
65.0%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 66.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.8%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 36.8% 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)18.7%(4,343)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.8%(4,821)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.8%(9,242)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.3%(1,219)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(205)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 23,216 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
In this metro

Largest cities

AshevilleCENTRAL93,523Hendersonville15,867Black Mountain8,491Fletcher8,373Woodfin8,229Etowah7,968Mills River7,504Swannanoa6,901East Flat Rock6,323Weaverville4,790Royal Pines4,325Dana4,147Flat Rock3,643Mountain Home3,437Avery Creek2,887Edneyville2,716Valley Hill2,675Emma2,657Fruitland2,398Laurel Park2,360Fairview2,298Mars Hill2,280Hoopers Creek1,683Horse Shoe1,490Biltmore Forest1,469Bent Creek1,384Balfour1,134Barker Heights1,074Montreat1,024Marshall802

The 30 most populous of 34 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

3 component counties

Buncombe CountyCENTRAL277,417Henderson CountyCENTRAL122,375Madison County22,553
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Asheville

Springfield
Pop 464,338
Eugene
Pop 381,584
Fort Wayne
Pop 466,258
Davenport
Pop 380,452
Places similar to Asheville
Head to head

Compare Asheville side by side

ASHEVILLE VS
Springfield
Income$71,306+177%
Home value$298,800+346%
Population464,338+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHEVILLE VS
Eugene
Income$71,544+178%
Home value$430,600+543%
Population381,584−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHEVILLE VS
Fort Wayne
Income$71,372+178%
Home value$214,162+220%
Population466,258+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHEVILLE VS
Davenport
Income$73,139+185%
Home value$183,173+173%
Population380,452−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Asheville, NC?

Asheville, NC has about 261,059 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Asheville, NC?

The typical household in Asheville, NC earns about $25,697 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Asheville, NC expensive?

In Asheville, NC, the median home is worth about $66,985, and the typical rent is about $363 a month.

How educated are people in Asheville, NC?

About 18.7% of adults age 25 and over in Asheville, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Asheville, NC?

About 11.7% of people in Asheville, NC live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Asheville, NC (1990): population, income & housing data · CensusEasy