Buncombe County, NC

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Population

259,103

0.581% growth

Median Age

42.5


Median Household Income

$53,980

7.87% growth

Poverty Rate

13.2%


Number of Employees

133,339

1.09% growth

Median Property Value

$257,200

7.12% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2018, Buncombe County, NC had a population of 259k people with a median age of 42.5 and a median household income of $53,980. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Buncombe County, NC grew from 257,607 to 259,103, a 0.581% increase and its median household income grew from $50,040 to $53,980, a 7.87% increase.

The population of Buncombe County, NC is 83.3% White Alone, 6.69% Hispanic or Latino, and 6.21% Black or African American Alone. N/A% of the people in Buncombe County, NC speak a non-English language, and 97.1% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Buncombe County, NC are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,474 degrees awarded in 2017), University of North Carolina at Asheville (808 degrees), and Montreat College (228 degrees).

The median property value in Buncombe County, NC is $257,200, and the homeownership rate is 64.8%. Most people in Buncombe County, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 18.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Buncombe County, NC is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: North Carolina Welcome Center

Photo by David Ellis

United StatesNorth CarolinaAsheville, NC

Economy

The economy of Buncombe County, NC employs 133k people. The largest industries in Buncombe County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (25,825 people), Retail Trade (15,622 people), and Manufacturing (15,505 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($76,912), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($70,718), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($55,284).

Median household income in Buncombe County, NC is $53,980. Males in Buncombe County, NC have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $47,552. The income inequality in Buncombe County, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$53,980

2018 value

± $3,551

7.87%

1 Year Growth

± 7.46%

Households in Buncombe County, NC have a median annual income of $53,980, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $50,040 in 2017, which represents a 7.87% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Buncombe County, 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 County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

$62,551

Average Male Salary

± $1,091

$47,552

Average Female Salary

± $846

In 2018, full-time male employees in North Carolina made 1.32 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina 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 County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $66,551 ± $4,420

  2. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

    $53,592 ± $28,568

  3. White

    $52,871 ± $810

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of North Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.24 times more than Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 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 North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.47

2018 Wage GINI

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

In 2018, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.556% decline from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2018 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 21.01

  2. Census Tract 17

  3. Census Tract 32.01

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Buncombe County, NC was Census Tract 21.01 with a value of $143,000, followed by Census Tract 17 and Census Tract 32.01, with respective values of $74,583 and $73,631.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Buncombe County, 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

13.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Buncombe County, NC (32.6k out of 246k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

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

    27,194 ± 1,289

  2. Hispanic

    4,995 ± 572

  3. Black

    3,471 ± 442

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Buncombe County, 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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

133k

2018 Value

± 6,498

1.09%

1 Year growth

± 6.84%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Buncombe County, NC grew at a rate of 1.09%, from 132k employees to 133k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Buncombe County, NC, are Management Occupations (14,293 people), Sales & Related Occupations (13,898 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,040 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Buncombe County, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Buncombe County, NC, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (14,293 people), Sales & Related Occupations (13,898 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,040 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Buncombe County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Community & Social Service Occupations (1.77 times higher than expected), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations (1.53 times), and Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media Occupations (1.44 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Buncombe County, NC, by median earnings, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($75,342), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($65,051), and Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($64,106).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

133k

2018 Value

± 6,498

1.09%

1 Year growth

± 6.84%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Buncombe County, NC grew at a rate of 1.09%, from 132k employees to 133k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Buncombe County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (25,825 people), Retail Trade (15,622 people), and Manufacturing (15,505 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Buncombe County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Buncombe County, 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 Buncombe County, NC, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (25,825 people), Retail Trade (15,622 people), and Manufacturing (15,505 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Buncombe County, NC has an unusually high number of Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation (1.51 times higher than expected), Health Care & Social Assistance (1.4 times), and Accommodation & Food Services (1.24 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Buncombe County, NC, by median earnings, are Utilities ($76,912), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($70,718), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($55,284).

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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

    $54.9B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $41.2B

  3. Machinery

    $40B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $54.9B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($41.2B) and Machinery ($40B).

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.

$443B

2020 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

42.7% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $443B. This is expected to increase 42.7% 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

    $28.4B

  2. Virginia

    $28.1B

  3. Georgia

    $28B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $28.4B, followed by Virginia with $28.1B and Georgia and $28B.

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

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Health

89.1% of the population of Buncombe County, NC has health coverage, with 43.4% on employee plans, 12.8% on Medicaid, 14.2% on Medicare, 17.2% on non-group plans, and 1.49% on military or VA plans.

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

Primary care physicians in Buncombe County, NC see 707 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.15% decrease from the previous year (730 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1369 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 193 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

707 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Buncombe County, NC see an average of 707 patients per year. This represents a 3.15% decrease from the previous year (730 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Buncombe County, NC 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

10.9%

Uninsured

43.4%

Employer Coverage

12.8%

Medicaid

14.2%

Medicare

17.2%

Non-Group

1.49%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Buncombe County, NC grew by 27.1% from 8.58% to 10.9%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Buncombe County, 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

Buncombe County, NC is home to a population of 259k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2017, 5.75% of Buncombe County, NC residents were born outside of the country (14.8k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Buncombe County, NC is composed of 216k White Alone residents (83.3%), 17.3k Hispanic or Latino residents (6.69%), 16.1k Black or African American Alone residents (6.21%), 5.53k Two or More Races residents (2.13%), 2.65k Asian Alone residents (1.02%), 983 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.379%), 385 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.149%), and 185 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0714%).

Age

Age by Nativity

43

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.9

42

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 5

In 2018, the median age of all people in Buncombe County, NC was 42.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 43, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 42. But people in Buncombe County, NC are getting getting younger. In 2017, the average age of all Buncombe County, NC residents was 43.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

5.75%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

14.8k people

5.3%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

13.6k people

As of 2017, 5.75% of Buncombe County, NC residents (14.8k people) 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 Buncombe County, NC was 5.3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    229,977 ± 11,643 people

  2. India

    71,606 ± 6,547 people

  3. Honduras

    31,466 ± 4,348 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 229,977 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 71,606 and Honduras with 31,466.

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Citizenship

97.1%

2018 Citizenship

96.9%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 97.1% of Buncombe County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Buncombe County, NC was 96.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    216k ± 368

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    17.3k ± 2.17k

  3. Black or African American Alone

    16.1k ± 923

In 2018, there were 12.5 times more White Alone residents (216k people) in Buncombe County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 17.3k Hispanic or Latino and 16.1k Black or African American Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    5,429 ± 1,057

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    2,750 ± 1,192

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    2,219 ± 744

Buncombe County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.97 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Buncombe County, NC awarded 2,783 degrees. The student population of Buncombe County, NC is skewed towards women, with 5,491 male students and 7,392 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Buncombe County, NC are White (2,174 and 78.4%), followed by Black or African American (178 and 6.42%), Hispanic or Latino (165 and 5.95%), and Unknown (111 and 4%).

The largest universities in Buncombe County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (1,474 and 53%), University of North Carolina at Asheville (808 and 29%), and Montreat College (228 and 8.19%).

The most popular majors in Buncombe County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (408 and 14.7%), General Business Administration & Management (127 and 4.56%), and Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (124 and 4.46%).

The median tuition costs in Buncombe County, NC are $29,990 for private four year colleges, and $4,122 and $20,845 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Business Administration & Management

    102 degrees awarded

  2. Environmental Studies

    93 degrees awarded

  3. General Psychology

    104 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Buncombe County, NC was General Business Administration & Management with 102 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

    1,474 degrees awarded

  2. University of North Carolina at Asheville

    808 degrees awarded

  3. Montreat College

    228 degrees awarded

$4,122

Median In-State Public

$29,990

Median Private

In 2017, the Buncombe County, NC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College with 1,474 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

1,143

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,640

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 1,143 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Buncombe County, NC, which is 0.697 times less than the 1,640 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Buncombe County, NC by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    2,174 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    178 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    165 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Buncombe County, NC were to White students. These 2,174 degrees mean that there were 12.2 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 178 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Buncombe County, NC was $257,200 in 2018, which is 1.12 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $240,100 to $257,200, a 7.12% increase. The homeownership rate in Buncombe County, NC is 64.8%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Buncombe County, NC have an average commute time of 18.1 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Buncombe County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$257,200

2018 Median

± $11,560

$240,100

2017 Median

± $9,825

In 2018, the median property value in Buncombe County, NC grew to to $257,200 from the previous year's value of $240,100.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Buncombe County, 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 Buncombe County, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Household Income

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

$53,980

Median Household Income

± $3,551

108k

Number of Households

± 5,411

In 2018, the median household income of the 108k households in Buncombe County, NC grew to $53,980 from the previous year's value of $50,040.

The following chart displays the households in Buncombe County, 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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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Buncombe County, NC distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Buncombe County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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Rent vs Own

64.8%

2018 Homeownership

63.4%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 64.8% of the housing units in Buncombe County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 63.4%.

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

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Commute Time

18.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Buncombe County, NC have a shorter commute time (18.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 0.951% of the workforce in Buncombe County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Buncombe County, 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

    77.1%

  2. Worked At Home

    11.4%

  3. Carpooled

    7.03%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Buncombe County, NC was Drove Alone (77.1%), followed by those who Worked At Home (11.4%) and those who Carpooled (7.03%).

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.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Buncombe County, 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, NC have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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