How many people live in Buncombe County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 279,200 people living in Buncombe County, NC. That makes Buncombe County the seventh-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 2.5% of people living in the state.
279K
population of Buncombe County, NC (2024)
2.5%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 279,200 people lived in Buncombe County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Buncombe County, NC’s age demographics?
About 61,900 Buncombe County, NC residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 22.2% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 48,200 Buncombe County residents, or 17.3% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.6% of North Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A lower share of Buncombe County, NC's population is aged under 18 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Buncombe County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 81.1% of the Buncombe County, NC population, higher than the national share of 57.5%.
In contrast, Buncombe County’s Hispanic population accounts for 9.1%, below the 20% nationwide, and the non-Hispanic Black or African American population makes up 5.7% of the county, compared with 12.6% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Buncombe County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic white population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Buncombe County, NC is Asheville with about 95,000 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Buncombe County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Asheville | 94,992 |
| 2. | Black Mountain | 8,572 |
| 3. | Woodfin | 8,158 |
| 4. | Weaverville | 4,799 |
| 5. | Biltmore Forest | 1,462 |
| 6. | Montreat | 1,044 |
| 7. | Balance of Buncombe County | 160,183 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
