Buncombe County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Buncombe County has a population of 274,360 residents and a median age of 42.6 years, making it the #262 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.8%. The median home value is $391,800, and the median household income is $74,436, which is 1% below the national median.
Demographics
Buncombe County has a population of 274,360, making it the #262 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Buncombe County is $74,436, ranking #877 out of 3,222 counties — 0.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.8% and unemployment stands at 4.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Buncombe County is $391,800 (+39.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,362/mo and the homeownership rate is 66.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Buncombe County, 45.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 36.2% above the national average, ranking #154 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Buncombe County is 77.4 years. 13.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
11.1% of adults in Buncombe County smoke , 26.2% are obese , and 21.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 46.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Buncombe County is 4.3 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 17.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 12.1 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
16.4% of children in Buncombe County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.2 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 13.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Buncombe County is 79.5%. The mean commute time is 23.5 min, which is 14.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Buncombe County voted Democratic with a margin of 24.8%. The vote was 61.7% Dem / 36.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +3.7 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Buncombe County, North Carolina
Buncombe County, North Carolina has a total population of 274,360, making it the 262nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Buncombe County is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Buncombe County is $74,436, which ranks #877 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 0.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.8%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.3%.
The median home value in Buncombe County is $391,800, 39.0% above the national median. Renters in Buncombe County pay a median gross rent of $1,362 per month. The homeownership rate is 66.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Buncombe County, 45.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36.2% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.5 min.
Buncombe County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 80.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (8.6%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (4.8%).
All data for Buncombe County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.