Buncombe County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Buncombe County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Buncombe County Below averageWealthier than 80% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Buncombe County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,474 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,283 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.0% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.1% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.9% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Buncombe County is about 3% higher than in North Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Buncombe County (6.0%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Buncombe County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the North Carolina average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Buncombe County, North Carolina grew by 70.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,474 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Buncombe County
| Metric | Buncombe County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.536 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,801 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,753 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.4% | 16.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Buncombe County, it is 0.536, lower than North Carolina's 0.547, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 14% more than women's income in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $246,680 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Buncombe County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,132 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Buncombe County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 17.6% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 5,849 people are unemployed in Buncombe County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Buncombe County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Buncombe County, North Carolina has fallen from 7.6% to 4.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.2% in 2020.
Buncombe County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Buncombe County, NC is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 274,254 residents against a local median of 44,809. Buncombe County, NC's median household income, at $74,474, runs 27% above the $58,633 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 6.0%/yr against a local median of 4.8%/yr, 24% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Buncombe County, NC is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread $11,097 on median household income, so Buncombe County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Buncombe County, NC has the highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buncombe County, NC | 274,254 | $74,474 #1/6 | 6.0%/yr #2/6 | 4.3% #5/6 | 0.536 #5/6 |
| Henderson County, NC | 118,522 | $69,064 | 4.7%/yr | 3.5% | 0.517 |
| Madison County, NC | 21,867 | $58,302 | 4.8%/yr | 3.1% | 0.538 |
| Yancey County, NC | 18,788 | $58,633 | 6.1%/yr | 7.3% | 0.518 |
| Haywood County, NC | 59,366 | $63,952 | 4.8%/yr | 3.1% | 0.521 |
| McDowell County, NC | 44,809 | $57,967 | 5.7%/yr | 4.1% | 0.519 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Buncombe County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than North Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Buncombe County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Buncombe County, North Carolina?
Buncombe County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $74,474, about 3% higher than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Buncombe County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Buncombe County, North Carolina rose 70%, from $43,756 to $74,474. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +70% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Buncombe County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Buncombe County, North Carolina was $70,628, up 6% from $66,386 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Buncombe County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Buncombe County, North Carolina was $55,637. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $74,474.
What is the Gini coefficient in Buncombe County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Buncombe County is 0.536. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Buncombe County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Buncombe County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,132 since 2009.
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