CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Asheville Metro

Asheville, NC · 3 counties · 406,926 residents · 1,479.052 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Asheville has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $55,685. Population has grown 29% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $242,686. With a median age of 44.0, the population is older than the US median of 38.8.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.0
US median: 38.8
More educated
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 55%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
406,926
+29%since 2000
from 315,138 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
275 / sq mi
+29%since 2000
from 213 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 280
Median age
44.0
+10%since 2000
from 40.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
246K292K338K384K430K1990201020202024Asheville
2024415K
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,685
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,720 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,052
+63%since 2000
from $20,321 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
36.3%
+11.8 ptssince 2009
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
11.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 11.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information13%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade10.8%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade7.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BARS: THIS PLACE · TICKS: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$242,686
+55%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $104,468 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$972
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $529 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
66.8%
−6.3 ptssince 2000
from 73.1% in 2000
33.2% rent
Afford Score
4.4
+53%since 2000
from 2.8 in 2000
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Asheville on RentDataNow
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%
Diversity Score23.1%(72,754)
Segregation Score0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic80.1%(325,842)
Black4.5%(18,513)
Hispanic / Latino9.3%(37,669)
Asian1.1%(4,654)
Other2.5%(10,014)
Diversity Score39.2%(159,381)
Segregation Score28.6%(116,418)
Diversity Score
39
+70%since 2000
from 23 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Segregation Score
29
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
38.0%
+13.6 ptssince 2000
from 24.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
91.5%
+10.0 ptssince 2000
from 81.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
14.7%
+6.0 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.3 min
+53%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
78.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 78.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.1%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 7.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
59.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
37.7%
−25.7 ptssince 2009
from 63.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
52.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
6.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
11.4%
−72.0 ptssince 2013
from 83.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
In this metro

Principal cities

AshevilleCENTRAL93,523
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+28%
Home value$298,800+23%
Population464,338+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHEVILLE VS
Eugene
Income$71,544+28%
Home value$430,600+77%
Population381,584−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHEVILLE VS
Fort Wayne
Income$71,372+28%
Home value$214,162−12%
Population466,258+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHEVILLE VS
Davenport
Income$73,139+31%
Home value$183,173−25%
Population380,452−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Asheville, NC?

Asheville, NC has about 406,926 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Asheville, NC?

The typical household in Asheville, NC earns about $55,685 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 $242,686, and the typical rent is about $972 a month.

How educated are people in Asheville, NC?

About 38.0% 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 11.3% of people in Asheville, NC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Asheville, NC grown since 1990?

Yes, Asheville, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 145,867 residents, a change of about 56 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Metro rankings
Largest US metrosHighest income metrosFastest growing metros
Compare
Compare Asheville with another metro

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

How we source and harmonize this data →