Asheville, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2020 Population

459,344

1.1% 1-year growth

US Senator

Richard Burr

Republican Party

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

44.4

0.452% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

11.5%

6.34% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$54,992

4.28% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$232,400

5.35% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

220,571

1.76% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Asheville, NC had a population of 459k people with a median age of 44.4 and a median household income of $54,992. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Asheville, NC grew from 454,351 to 459,344, a 1.1% increase and its median household income grew from $52,735 to $54,992, a 4.28% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Asheville, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (84.9%), White (Hispanic) (4.81%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.48%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.8%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.17%).

None of the households in Asheville, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. 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.

96.9% of the residents in Asheville, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Asheville, NC are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,427 degrees awarded in 2020), University of North Carolina at Asheville (814 degrees), and Blue Ridge Community College (671 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Asheville, NC was $232,400, and the homeownership rate was 68%.

Most people in Asheville, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Asheville, NC was 2 cars per household.

Asheville, NC borders Brevard, NC, Cullowhee, NC, Forest City, NC, Greeneville, TN, Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC, Johnson City, TN, Marion, NC, Newport, TN, and Sevierville, TN.

Photo by Cayce

Population & Diversity

Asheville, NC is home to a population of 459k people, from which 96.9% are citizens. As of 2020, 5.54% of Asheville, NC residents were born outside of the country (25.4k people).

In 2020, there were 17.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (390k people) in Asheville, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 22.1k White (Hispanic) and 20.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.9%

2020 Citizenship

96.7%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 96.9% of Asheville, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Asheville, NC was 96.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Asheville, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Asheville, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
390k ± 571
White (Hispanic)
22.1k ± 1.15k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
20.6k ± 719

7.04%

Hispanic Population

32.3k people

7.04% of the people in Asheville, NC are hispanic (32.3k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Asheville, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,275 ± 11,501 people
India
74,765 ± 6,689 people
Honduras
37,815 ± 4,766 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,275 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 74,765 and Honduras with 37,815.

Foreign-Born Population

5.54%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

25.4k people

5.78%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

26.2k people

As of 2020, 5.54% of Asheville, NC residents (25.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Asheville, NC was 5.78%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Asheville, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
13,352 ± 549
Gulf War (2001-)
4,035 ± 510
Gulf War (1990s)
3,941 ± 512

Asheville, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.31 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Asheville, NC employs 221k people. The largest industries in Asheville, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (37,696 people), Retail Trade (28,326 people), and Manufacturing (24,161 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($50,288), Public Administration ($50,193), and Utilities ($49,375).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,357. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

221k

2020 Value

± 4,196

1.76%

1 Year growth

± 2.48%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Asheville, NC grew at a rate of 1.76%, from 217k employees to 221k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Asheville, NC, are Sales & Related Occupations (24,699 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (21,847 people), and Management Occupations (21,382 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Asheville, 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

221k

2020 Value

± 4,196

1.76%

1 Year growth

± 2.48%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Asheville, NC grew at a rate of 1.76%, from 217k employees to 221k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Asheville, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (37,696 people), Retail Trade (28,326 people), and Manufacturing (24,161 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Asheville, NC, though some of these residents may live in Asheville, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$37,749

Median earning men ± $1,216

$30,288

Median earning women ± $584

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($50,886), Information ($49,967), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,298).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($48,288), Wholesale Trade ($40,132), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($39,718).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

5,579
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
2,950
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
2,750
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.76M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$4.39M
Manufacturing
$931k
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.9B, followed by Machinery ($49B) and Pharmaceuticals ($48.7B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$488B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

89.6% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $488B. This is expected to increase 89.6% to $926B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

South Carolina
$35.1B
Virginia
$27B
Georgia
$18.5B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $35.1B, followed by Virginia with $27B and Georgia and $18.5B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

Richard Burr and Thom Tillis are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senators Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Richard Burr

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2005

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Richard Burr and Thom Tillis are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Asheville, NC awarded 4,167 degrees. The student population of Asheville, NC in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 6,676 male students and 10,015 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Asheville, NC are White (3,282 and 80.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (301 and 7.36%), Black or African American (196 and 4.79%), and Unknown (121 and 2.96%).

The largest universities in Asheville, NC by number of degrees awarded are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,427 and 34.2%), University of North Carolina at Asheville (814 and 19.5%), and Blue Ridge Community College (671 and 16.1%).

The most popular majors in Asheville, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (652 and 15.6%), General Business Administration & Management (242 and 5.81%), and Registered Nursing (216 and 5.18%).

The median tuition costs in Asheville, NC are $30,772 for private four year colleges, and $4,122 and $21,470 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Asheville, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 76.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 16,691 (40% men and 60% 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 2020 there were 16,691 students enrolled in Asheville, NC, 40% men and 60% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 12,413 records, of which 60.5% were women and 39.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
195 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
50 degree-majors awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
629 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Asheville, NC was Registered Nursing with 195 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Asheville, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
1,427 degrees awarded
University of North Carolina at Asheville
814 degrees awarded
Blue Ridge Community College
671 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College with 1,427 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 1,778 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Asheville, NC, which is 0.744 times less than the 2,389 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,282 degrees mean that there were 10.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 301 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 ($30,772) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,122) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($2,000) 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

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

Measure

In 2020, 0.849% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.733% of women were in the same situation.

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

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (2.14M), Some college (1.89M), and Bachelors Degree (1.54M).

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 Asheville, NC was $232,400 in 2020, which is 1.01 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $220,600 to $232,400, a 5.35% increase. The homeownership rate in Asheville, NC is 68%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Asheville, NC have an average commute time of 21.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Asheville, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Asheville, NC is $54,992. In 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Asheville, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $83,567, followed by Union County, NC and Orange County, NC, with respective values of $82,557 and $74,803.

Housing

Property

$232,400

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,845

$129,343

Median Property Taxes

±$2,612

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 Asheville, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Asheville, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68%

Homeownership

2020

69.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 68% of the housing units in Asheville, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Asheville, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Asheville, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $83,567, followed by Union County, NC and Orange County, NC, with respective values of $82,557 and $74,803.

The following map shows all of the counties in Asheville, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$54,992

Median Household Income

± $1,195

190k

Number of Households

± 3,012

In 2020, the median household income of the 190k households in Asheville, NC grew to $54,992 from the previous year's value of $52,735.

The following chart displays the households in Asheville, 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

The closest comparable wage GINI for Asheville, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.472

2019 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2020, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.395% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2018

Drove Alone (79.4%)
Carpooled (9.03%)
Worked At Home (8.06%)

In 2018, 79.4% of workers in Asheville, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.03%) and those who worked at home (8.06%).

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

21.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Asheville, NC have a shorter commute time (21.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.2% of the workforce in Asheville, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Asheville, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Asheville, NC (51.5k out of 449k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Asheville, NC is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

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
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

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

Health

88.6% of the population of Asheville, NC has health coverage, with 40.8% on employee plans, 13% on Medicaid, 16.8% on Medicare, 16.4% on non-group plans, and 1.65% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in North Carolina was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1405 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.496% decrease from the previous year (1412 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1718 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 389 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for North Carolina. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in North Carolina, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,405 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,405 patients per year. This represents a 0.496% decrease from the previous year (1,412 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of North Carolina across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.8% under 18 years, 18.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.3% were men and 52.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.4%

Uninsured

40.8%

Employer Coverage

13%

Medicaid

16.8%

Medicare

16.4%

Non-Group

1.65%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Asheville, NC grew by 6.32% from 10.7% to 11.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Asheville, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.