Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC

Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA)

2024 Population

139,781

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

1.15% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

11.1%

3.73% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$75,029

3.68% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

Population & Diversity

Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC is home to a population of 140k people, from which 96.1% are citizens.

As of 2024, 6.35% of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC residents were born outside of the country (8.88k people).

In 2024, there were 15.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (115k people) in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.36k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 5.5k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary language in households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC are Spanish (8,705 households), Ukrainian or Other Slavic Languages (472 households), and French (Incl. Cajun) (426 households).

Population & Diversity

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

73,343

Women

52.5%

66,243

Men

47.5%

The resident population of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC in 2024 was 139,586 inhabitants, with 47.5% men, and 52.5% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

Citizenship

96.1%

2024 Citizenship

96.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.1% of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
115k ± 2.46k
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
7.36k ± 1.47k
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
5.5k ± 747

8.69%

Hispanic Population

12.1k people

8.69% of the people in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC are hispanic (12.1k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
1,851 ± 1,049 people
Germany
553 ± 576 people
El Salvador
449 ± 519 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was Mexico, the natal country of 1,851 Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC residents, followed by Germany with 553 and El Salvador with 449.

Foreign-Born Population

6.35%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

8.88k people

6.44%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

8.88k people

As of 2024, 6.35% of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC residents (8.88k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was 6.44%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Spanish
8,705 households (6.54%)
Ukrainian or Other Slavic Languages
472 households (0.355%)
French (Incl. Cajun)
426 households (0.32%)

8.77% of the households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is lower than the national average of 22.3%. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

In 2024, the most common non-English language spoken in households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was Spanish. 6.54% of the households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,710 ± 381
Gulf War (1990s)
1,386 ± 302
Gulf War (2001-)
1,268 ± 383

Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.96 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC.

Health

89.4% of the population of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC has health coverage, with 39.9% on employee plans, 15% on Medicaid, 17.1% on Medicare, 15.9% on non-group plans, and 1.4% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 299 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

1,413 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.3% under 18 years, 17.2% between 18 and 34 years, 40.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.6%

Uninsured

39.9%

Employer Coverage

15%

Medicaid

17.1%

Medicare

15.9%

Non-Group

1.4%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC declined by 11.1% from 12% to 10.6%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Economy

The economy of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC employs 59.3k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC were Construction (4,551 people), Restaurants & Food Services (4,196 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,524 people), and the highest paying industries were Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($182,687), Beverage manufacturing ($128,183), and Travel arrangements & reservation services ($122,508).

Males in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC have an average income that is 1.27 times higher than the average income of females, which is $58,400. The income inequality in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.442, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

30,359

Women

51.2%

28,919

Men

48.8%

The workforce of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC in 2024 was 59,278 people, with 51.2% woman, and 48.8% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

Occupations

59.3k

2024 Value

0.401%

1 Year growth

± 0.401%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC grew at a rate of 0.401%, from 59k employees to 59.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC, are Retail salespersons (2,060 people), Other managers (1,699 people), and Registered nurses (1,618 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

59.3k

2024 Value

0.401%

1 Year growth

± 0.401%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC grew at a rate of 0.401%, from 59k employees to 59.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC, are Construction (4,551 people), Restaurants & Food Services (4,196 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,524 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC, though some of these residents may live in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,039

Median earning men ± $2,290

$38,263

Median earning women ± $2,487

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($68,425), Public Administration ($65,953), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,382).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($79,852), Public Administration ($57,819), and Information ($50,563).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Education

The student population of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 739 male students and 1,014 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC are White (235 and 67.1%), Unknown (47 and 13.4%), Black or African American (31 and 8.86%), and Hispanic or Latino (12 and 3.43%).

The largest universities in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC by number of degrees awarded are Warren Wilson College (188 and 51.5%) and Montreat College (177 and 48.5%).

The most popular majors in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC are General Business Administration & Management (42 and 11.5%), Creative Writing (35 and 9.59%), and Computer & Information Systems Security (26 and 7.12%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $37,190.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 70.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 1,753 (42.2% men and 57.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 1,753 students enrolled in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC, 42.2% men and 57.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,193 records, of which 60.2% were women and 39.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
32 degrees awarded
Computer & Information Systems Security
25 degrees awarded
Environmental Studies
24 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was General Business Administration & Management with 32 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Warren Wilson College
188 degrees awarded
Montreat College
177 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Warren Wilson College with 188 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 135 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC, which is 0.587 times less than the 230 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 235 degrees mean that there were 5 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 47 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($37,190) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,785) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,025) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Measure

In 2024, 0.777% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.15% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC in 2024 were High School or Equivalent (31k), Bachelors Degree (25.9k), and Some college (20.9k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was $357,000 in 2024, which is 1.07 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $329,300 to $357,000, a 8.41% increase. The homeownership rate in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC is 74.7%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC have an average commute time of 22.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$357,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,923

$37,368

Median Property Taxes

±$1,549

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

74.7%

Homeownership

2024

69%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 74.7% of the housing units in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 72.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$75,029

Median Household Income

± $2,698

50k

Number of Households

± 1,993

In 2024, the median household income of the 50k households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC grew to $75,029 from the previous year's value of $72,366.

The following chart displays the households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

0.442

2024 Wage GINI in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC

0.441

2023 Wage GINI in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC

In 2024, the income inequality in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was 0.442 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.194% growth from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.4%)
Worked At Home (15.4%)
Carpooled (8.5%)

In 2024, 73.4% of workers in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (15.4%) and those who carpooled to work (8.5%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC have a shorter commute time (22.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.897% of the workforce in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC (15.1k out of 137k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Buncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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