State rank#7 of 100
Smallest county274,360 residentsWake County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 37021
Buncombe County, North Carolina
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population274,360
Household income$74,436
Unemployment4.3%
Life expectancy77.4 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Buncombe County has 274,360 residents and ranks #7 by population among North Carolina county equivalents. Median household income is $74,436. The annual-average unemployment rate is 4.3%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within North Carolina
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Buncombe County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Buncombe County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $391,800 median home value and $1,362/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $74,436, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Buncombe County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, primary care access, and poor or fair health. College attainment is 45.9% and life expectancy is 77.4 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 112 residents, rank #1 of 99 available North Carolina counties.
- Primary care access: 1 per 711 residents, rank #2 of 98 available North Carolina counties.
- Poor or fair health: 13.3%, rank #5 of 100 available North Carolina counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Median home value: $391,800, rank #94 of 100; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median gross rent: $1,362/mo, rank #93 of 100; investigate local variation before moving.
- Unemployment rate: 4.3%, rank #78 of 100; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within North Carolina
Rank and range use only counties in North Carolina with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$74,436
$74,436; above the state county median of $60,230.
State rank #19 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$391,800
$391,800; above the state county median of $219,700.
State rank #94 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,362/mo
$1,362/mo; above the state county median of $886/mo.
State rank #93 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
4.3%
4.3%; above the state county median of 3.7%.
State rank #78 of 100 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
45.9%
45.9%; above the state county median of 23.5%.
State rank #7 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
77.4 years
77.4 years; above the state county median of 74.2 years.
State rank #12 of 100 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
13.3%
13.3%; below the state county median of 18.9%.
State rank #5 of 100 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
13.1%
13.1%; above the state county median of 12.3%.
State rank #69 of 100 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 711 residents
1 per 711 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 2,158 residents.
State rank #2 of 98 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 112 residents
1 per 112 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 521 residents.
State rank #1 of 99 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Buncombe County FAQ
Is Buncombe County a good place to live?
Buncombe County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, primary care access, and poor or fair health. College attainment is 45.9% and life expectancy is 77.4 years.
What should I know before moving to Buncombe County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $391,800 median home value and $1,362/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $74,436, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Buncombe County?
Buncombe County has 274,360 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Buncombe County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 37021; the parent state FIPS is 37.
What is the median household income in Buncombe County?
The ACS median household income is $74,436.
How much does housing cost in Buncombe County?
Housing benchmarks are $391,800 median home value and $1,362/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $74,436, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Buncombe County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 4.3%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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