Asheville, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

410,817

12.5% 1-year decline

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

43.8

1.35% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

11.7%

2.42% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$69,236

7.28% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$338,400

14.7% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

195,538

12.8% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Asheville, NC had a population of 411k people with a median age of 43.8 and a median household income of $69,236. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Asheville, NC declined from 469,484 to 410,817, a −12.5% decrease and its median household income grew from $64,538 to $69,236, a 7.28% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Asheville, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (81.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.45%), Two+ (Hispanic) (4.14%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.09%), and White (Hispanic) (2.5%).

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.

96.1% of the residents in Asheville, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Asheville, NC are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,001 degrees awarded in 2022), University of North Carolina at Asheville (782 degrees), and Blue Ridge Community College (722 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Asheville, NC was $338,400, and the homeownership rate was 68.2%.

Most people in Asheville, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.8 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

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Asheville, NC is home to a population of 411k people, from which 96.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 6.89% of Asheville, NC residents were born outside of the country (28.3k people).

In 2023, there were 18.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (334k people) in Asheville, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 18.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 17k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.1%

2023 Citizenship

96.8%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.1% of Asheville, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Asheville, NC was 96.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
334k ± 731
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
18.3k ± 1.02k
Two+ (Hispanic)
17k ± 1.6k

9.31%

Hispanic Population

38.2k people

9.31% of the people in Asheville, NC are hispanic (38.2k 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
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

6.89%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

28.3k people

5.73%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

26.9k people

As of 2023, 6.89% of Asheville, NC residents (28.3k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Asheville, NC was 5.73%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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
9,111 ± 677
Gulf War (2001-)
4,179 ± 651
Gulf War (1990s)
3,367 ± 546

Asheville, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.18 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Asheville, NC employs 196k people. The largest industries in Asheville, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (31,371 people), Retail Trade (24,167 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (20,178 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($75,536), Finance & Insurance ($64,370), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($62,627).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

196k

2023 Value

± 4,301

−12.8%

1 Year decline

± 3.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Asheville, NC declined at a rate of −12.8%, from 224k employees to 196k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Asheville, NC, are Management Occupations (21,788 people), Sales & Related Occupations (20,538 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (17,448 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 false.

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

196k

2023 Value

± 4,301

−12.8%

1 Year decline

± 3.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Asheville, NC declined at a rate of −12.8%, from 224k employees to 196k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Asheville, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (31,371 people), Retail Trade (24,167 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (20,178 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

$45,329

Median earning men ± $1,468

$35,879

Median earning women ± $979

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($65,954), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($63,145), and Public Administration ($61,490).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($57,264), Wholesale Trade ($56,023), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,369).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,126
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,029
Construction
846
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.15M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.24M
Manufacturing
$867k
Retail Trade

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

Education

In 2022, universities in Asheville, NC awarded 3,732 degrees. The student population of Asheville, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 6,537 male students and 9,958 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Asheville, NC are White (2,792 and 76.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (326 and 8.91%), Black or African American (227 and 6.2%), and Unknown (131 and 3.58%).

The largest universities in Asheville, NC by number of degrees awarded are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,001 and 26.8%), University of North Carolina at Asheville (782 and 21%), and Blue Ridge Community College (722 and 19.3%).

The most popular majors in Asheville, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (524 and 14%), General Business Administration & Management (286 and 7.66%), and General Psychology (154 and 4.13%).

The median tuition costs in Asheville, NC are $36,557 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 2022 in Asheville, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 74.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 16,495 (39.6% men and 60.4% 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 2022 there were 16,495 students enrolled in Asheville, NC, 39.6% men and 60.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,894 records, of which 60.3% were women and 39.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
125 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
60 degrees awarded
General Psychology
154 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Asheville, NC was General Business Administration & Management with 125 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
1,001 degrees awarded
University of North Carolina at Asheville
782 degrees awarded
Blue Ridge Community College
722 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College with 1,001 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,513 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Asheville, NC, which is 0.682 times less than the 2,219 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,792 degrees mean that there were 8.56 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 326 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 for-profit, 4-year or above ($65,720) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,258) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,682) 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 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% 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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

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 $338,400 in 2023, which is 1.12 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $295,000 to $338,400, a 14.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Asheville, NC is 68.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Asheville, NC have an average commute time of 21.8 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 $69,236. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Asheville, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

Housing

Property

$338,400

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,920

$110,126

Median Property Taxes

±$2,561

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

68.2%

Homeownership

2023

69.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 68.2% of the housing units in Asheville, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.1%.

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 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Asheville, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

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.

$69,236

Median Household Income

± $1,507

161k

Number of Households

± 3,407

In 2023, the median household income of the 161k households in Asheville, NC grew to $69,236 from the previous year's value of $64,538.

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

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, 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 2023

Drove Alone (74.4%)
Worked At Home (14%)
Carpooled (7.75%)

In 2023, 74.4% of workers in Asheville, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14%) and those who carpooled to work (7.75%).

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

21.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Asheville, NC have a shorter commute time (21.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.23% 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

11.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Asheville, NC (47.1k out of 402k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 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 Two Or More.

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

88.2% of the population of Asheville, NC has health coverage, with 40% on employee plans, 13.6% on Medicaid, 16.8% on Medicare, 16.5% on non-group plans, and 1.38% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1413 patients per year on average, which represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1399 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1657 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 336 patients per year.

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 1% increase from the previous year (1,399 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 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.6% under 18 years, 19% between 18 and 34 years, 39.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 22% 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

11.8%

Uninsured

40%

Employer Coverage

13.6%

Medicaid

16.8%

Medicare

16.5%

Non-Group

1.38%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Asheville, NC grew by 3.22% from 11.5% to 11.8%.

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.

Keep Exploring

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State

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