Buncombe County , North Carolina
Population: 271,790 residents · 2023 Census ACS
Income $70,578 Home $360,000 Rent $1,281/mo
Page updated: · Data vintage: CDC PLACES 2023 · FEMA NRI v1.20
Across 271,790 residents, Buncombe County tracks with a mixed cost-and-earnings profile — useful as a comparison anchor for North Carolina and neighboring counties alike. FEMA's National Risk Index ranks Buncombe County in the top 11% nationally for overall natural-hazard exposure, with earthquake risk the dominant local risk.
$70,578
Median Income
household
$360,000
Home Value
median
$1,281/mo
Monthly Rent
median gross
N/A
Unemployment
rate
Income & Housing
| Median Household Income | $70,578 |
| Per Capita Income | $40,879 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.8% |
| Median Home Value | $360,000 |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,281/mo |
| Owner Occupied | 64.4% |
| Renter Occupied | 35.6% |
Demographics & Education
| Total Population | 271,790 |
| Median Age | 42.4 yrs |
| Bachelor's or Higher | 44.6% |
Health Outcomes
CDC PLACES 2023 · % of adults
31.3%
Obesity
10.9%
Diabetes
12.5%
Smoking
36.1%
High Blood Pressure
20.3%
No Physical Activity
25.9%
Depression
27.7%
Insufficient Sleep
79.1%
Annual Checkup
Natural Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index · county-level scores
Overall risk score: 89.3 · 89th national percentile
🌪️ Tornado
81.33
🌀 Hurricane
68.63
🔥 Wildfire
80.63
❄️ Winter Storm
77.08
🌍 Earthquake
85.40
☀️ Drought
65.20
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