Buncombe County, North Carolina
Among the top 9% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 29% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 76% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
- top 8% for amenities nearby
- top 10% for walkability
- bottom 7% for cost of living
Buncombe County is a county in North Carolina with about 269,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, walkability, and comfortable days. It rates lower on property crime and cost of living.
Official websitebuncombecounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
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warm
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69%59%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in3.6 in
humid 74%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$67k66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$58kbetter than 7% of US counties
Home Value$329k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 12% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 18% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.61%better than 74% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.83%better than 43% of US counties
Unemployment3.6%better than 72% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)38°F61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.9 in65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall13.6 inbetter than 49% of US counties
Sunny Days233 daysbetter than 45% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 52% of US counties
Comfortable Days92 daysbetter than 82% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk89.3better than 10% of US counties
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 49% of US counties
School Quality49.3better than 38% of US counties
Violent Crime1262/100kbetter than 23% of US counties
Property Crime2432/100kbetter than 8% of US counties
Community
Population269,44992nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.359th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2749th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9410th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+218th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)82.5%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.6%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.1%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.6%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 76% of US counties
Walkability9.1/20better than 90% of US counties
Airport Distance94 mibetter than 52% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.6%better than 65% of US counties
Amenities Nearby14.14better than 92% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 55% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Buncombe County an affordable place to live?
- Buncombe County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $58k, better than 7% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Buncombe County?
- The median home value in Buncombe County is $329k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Buncombe County?
- Median household income in Buncombe County is $67k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Buncombe County?
- Median gross rent in Buncombe County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Buncombe County safe?
- Buncombe County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1262/100k (better than 23%). Property crime is 2432/100k.
- What is the weather like in Buncombe County?
- Buncombe County averages 74°F in July and 38°F in January, with 47.9 in of annual precipitation and about 233 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Buncombe County?
- Public-school quality in Buncombe County is below average, scoring better than 38% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Buncombe County?
- The average one-way commute in Buncombe County is 21 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)