Asheville, NC

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Population

89,318

2.04% growth

Median Age

38.6


Median Household Income

$46,464

3.38% growth

Poverty Rate

15.1%


Number of Employees

46,512

4.95% growth

Median Property Value

$227,500

7.31% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Asheville, NC had a population of 89.3k people with a median age of 38.6 and a median household income of $46,464. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Asheville, NC grew from 87,531 to 89,318, a 2.04% increase and its median household income grew from $44,946 to $46,464, a 3.38% increase.

The population of Asheville, NC is 77.9% White Alone, 11.9% Black or African American Alone, and 5.87% Hispanic or Latino. 9.95% of the people in Asheville, NC speak a non-English language, and 95.8% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Asheville, NC are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,481 degrees awarded in 2016), University of North Carolina at Asheville (817 degrees), and Center for Massage (60 degrees).

The median property value in Asheville, NC is $227,500, and the homeownership rate is 49.4%. Most people in Asheville, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 16.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Asheville, NC is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Cayce

United StatesNorth CarolinaBuncombe County, NCAsheville, NCHenderson & Transylvania Counties PUMA, NCAsheville City PUMA, NCBuncombe County (Northwest) PUMA, NC

Economy

The economy of Asheville, NC employs 46.5k people. The largest industries in Asheville, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,606 people), Accommodation & Food Services (6,286 people), and Retail Trade (5,439 people), and the highest paying industries are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($61,667), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting ($58,929), and Finance & Insurance ($56,648).

Median household income in Asheville, NC is $46,464. Males in Asheville, NC have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,729. The income inequality in Asheville, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$46,464

2017 value

± $1,410

3.38%

1 Year Growth

± 4.92%

Households in Asheville, NC have a median annual income of $46,464, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $44,946 in 2016, which represents a 3.38% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Asheville, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$59,982

Average Male Salary

± $1,136

$44,729

Average Female Salary

± $812

In 2017, full-time male employees in Asheville, NC made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Asheville, NC by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $59,267 ± $4,472

  2. White

    $49,962 ± $811

  3. Two or More Races

    $36,539 ± $3,942

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Asheville, NC workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.19 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Asheville, NC by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

0.471

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.473 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.39% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 22.05

  2. Census Tract 17

  3. Census Tract 5

In 2017, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Asheville, NC was Census Tract 22.05 with a value of $74,821, followed by Census Tract 17 and Census Tract 5, with respective values of $67,143 and $62,750.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

15.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Asheville, NC (13k out of 86.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    9,902 ± 737

  2. Black

    2,595 ± 399

  3. Hispanic

    1,497 ± 345

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

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

46.5k

2017 Value

± 1,710

4.95%

1 Year growth

± 5%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Asheville, NC grew at a rate of 4.95%, from 44.3k employees to 46.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Asheville, NC, are Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (4,966 people), Sales & Related Occupations (4,912 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,815 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Asheville, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Asheville, NC, by number of employees, are Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (4,966 people), Sales & Related Occupations (4,912 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,815 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Asheville, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media Occupations (2.23 times higher than expected), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations (2.19 times), and Community & Social Service Occupations (2.08 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Asheville, NC, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($76,324), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($60,000), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($54,554).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

46.5k

2017 Value

± 1,710

4.95%

1 Year growth

± 5%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Asheville, NC grew at a rate of 4.95%, from 44.3k employees to 46.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Asheville, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,606 people), Accommodation & Food Services (6,286 people), and Retail Trade (5,439 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.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Asheville, NC, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,606 people), Accommodation & Food Services (6,286 people), and Retail Trade (5,439 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Asheville, NC has an unusually high number of Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation (1.83 times higher than expected), Accommodation & Food Services (1.78 times), and Management of Companies & Enterprises (1.71 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Asheville, NC, by median earnings, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($61,667), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting ($58,929), and Finance & Insurance ($56,648).

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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

  1. Mixed freight

    $50.4B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $35.3B

  3. Machinery

    $34.5B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $50.4B, followed by Pharmaceuticals with $35.3B and Machinery and $34.5B.

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

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina state.

$407B

2015 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

55.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound North Carolina trade was $407B. This is expected to increase 55.4% to $632B by 2045.

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

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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

  1. South Carolina

    $25.6B

  2. Georgia

    $25.4B

  3. Virginia

    $25.2B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $25.6B, followed by Georgia with $25.4B and Virginia and $25.2B.

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

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Health

88.5% of the population of Asheville, NC has health coverage, with 43.7% on employee plans, 12.8% on Medicaid, 12.4% on Medicare, 17.9% on non-group plans, and 1.73% on military or VA plans.

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

Primary care physicians in Asheville, NC see 1417 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.496% increase from the previous year (1410 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1829 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 464 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.2%). Additionally, Hertford County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (40.5%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1417 to 1

Primary Care Physicians

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1417 patients per year. This represents a 0.496% increase from the previous year (1410 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 neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,264

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,859

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,225

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,260

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in North Carolina (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.37%, from $7,027 to $7,264.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

11.5%

Uninsured

43.7%

Employer Coverage

12.8%

Medicaid

12.4%

Medicare

17.9%

Non-Group

1.73%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Asheville, NC declined by 12.8% from 13.2% to 11.5%.

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.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Edgecombe County

    16.2% prevalence

  2. Robeson County

    16.1% prevalence

  3. Hertford County

    16% prevalence

Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina, at 16.2%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Asheville, NC is home to a population of 89.3k people, from which 95.8% are citizens. As of 2017, 7.09% of Asheville, NC residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Asheville, NC is composed of 69.5k White Alone residents (77.9%), 10.6k Black or African American Alone residents (11.9%), 5.24k Hispanic or Latino residents (5.87%), 1.85k Two or More Races residents (2.07%), 1.69k Asian Alone residents (1.89%), 254 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.284%), 110 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.123%), and 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Asheville, NC are Spanish or Spanish Creole (3,863 speakers), Chinese (610 speakers), and French (Incl. Patois, Cajun) (578 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

38

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.8

40

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 2.3

In 2017, the median age of all people in Asheville, NC was 38.6. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 38, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 40. But people in Asheville, NC are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Asheville, NC residents was 38.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

7.09%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

6.6%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 7.09% of Asheville, NC residents were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Asheville, NC was 6.6%, 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.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    242,756 ± 11,950 people

  2. India

    60,392 ± 6,015 people

  3. Honduras

    34,513 ± 4,553 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Asheville, NC was Mexico, the natal country of 242,756 Asheville, NC residents, followed by India with 60,392 and Honduras with 34,513.

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Citizenship

95.8%

2017 Citizenship

96%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 95.8% of Asheville, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Asheville, NC was 96%, 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.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    69.5k ± 1.25k

  2. Black or African American Alone

    10.6k ± 909

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    5.24k ± 1.01k

In 2017, there were 6.54 times more White Alone residents (69.5k people) in Asheville, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 10.6k Black or African American Alone and 5.24k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Asheville, NC as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish or Spanish Creole

    3,863 speakers (4.74%)

  2. Chinese

    610 speakers (0.748%)

  3. French (Incl. Patois, Cajun)

    578 speakers (0.709%)

9.95% of Asheville, NC citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Asheville, NC was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 4.74% of the overall population of Asheville, NC are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 0.748% speak Chinese and 0.709% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    1,903 ± 286

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    774 ± 234

  3. Korea

    685 ± 204

Asheville, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.46 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Asheville, NC awarded 2,391 degrees. The student population of Asheville, NC is skewed towards women, with 4,788 male students and 6,443 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Asheville, NC are White (1,976 and 82.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (118 and 4.95%), Unknown (104 and 4.36%), and Black or African American (100 and 4.19%).

The largest universities in Asheville, NC by number of degrees awarded are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,481 and 61.9%), University of North Carolina at Asheville (817 and 34.2%), and Center for Massage (60 and 2.51%).

The most popular majors in Asheville, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (472 and 19.7%), General Psychology (93 and 3.89%), and Registered Nursing (74 and 3.09%).

The median tuition costs in Asheville, NC are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $4,041 and $20,436 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences

    399 degrees awarded

  2. Registered Nursing

    74 degrees awarded

  3. Criminal Justice - Safety Studies

    28 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Asheville, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 399 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

    1,481 degrees awarded

  2. University of North Carolina at Asheville

    817 degrees awarded

  3. Center for Massage

    60 degrees awarded

$4,041

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2016, the Asheville, NC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College with 1,481 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

1,039

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,352

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 1,039 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Asheville, NC, which is 0.768 times less than the 1,352 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Asheville, NC by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    1,976 degrees awarded

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    118 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    104 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Asheville, NC were to White students. These 1,976 degrees mean that there were 16.7 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 118 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Asheville, NC was $227,500 in 2017, which is 1.05 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $212,000 to $227,500, a 7.31% increase. The homeownership rate in Asheville, NC is 49.4%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Asheville, NC have an average commute time of 16.1 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Asheville, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

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

$46,464

Median Household Income

± $1,410

39.7k

Number of Households

± 1,476

In 2017, the median household income of the 39.7k households in Asheville, NC grew to $46,464 from the previous year's value of $44,946.

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 $60k - $75k range.

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Housing

Property Value

$227,500

2017 Median

± $8,226

$212,000

2016 Median

± $8,448

In 2017, the median property value in Asheville, NC grew to to $227,500 from the previous year's value of $212,000.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Asheville, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Asheville, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Asheville, NC 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.

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Rent vs Own

49.4%

2017 Homeownership

50.8%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 49.4% of the housing units in Asheville, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 50.8%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Asheville, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

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, followed by 1 car.

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Commute Time

16.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Asheville, NC have a shorter commute time (16.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 1.44% 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    76.2%

  2. Worked At Home

    9.51%

  3. Carpooled

    7.38%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Asheville, NC was Drove Alone, followed by those who Worked At Home and those who Carpooled.

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