The Asheville metropolitan area is a metropolitan area centered on the principal city of Asheville, North Carolina. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the Asheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area used by the United States Census Bureau and other entities, as comprising the three counties of Buncombe, Henderson, and Madison. The area's population was 406,926 according to the 2020 census.
Counties CountySeat2025 estimate2020 censusChangeAreaDensityBuncombeAsheville HendersonHendersonville MadisonMarshall Total
Communities Places with more than 75,000 inhabitants Asheville (principal city)
Places with 5,000 to 75,000 inhabitants Black Mountain Brevard East Flat Rock Etowah Fletcher Hendersonville Mills River Swannanoa Waynesville Woodfin
Places with 2,500 to 4,999 inhabitants Canton Flat Rock Lake Junaluska Weaverville
Places with 1,000 to 2,499 inhabitants Avery Creek Balfour Barker Heights Bent Creek Biltmore Forest Clyde Fairview Laurel Park Maggie Valley Mars Hill Mountain Home Valley Hill West Canton
Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants Hot Springs Marshall Montreat Rosman Saluda (partial)
Unincorporated places Arden Barnardsville Bat Cave Breakaway Candler Chesnut Hill Gerton Horse Shoe Joe Jupiter Leicester Luck Petersburg Pisgah Forest Ridgecrest Skyland Trust Walnut
Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 369,171 people, 154,290 households, and 103,653 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 91.49% White, 5.15% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.15% of the population.
The median income for a household in the MSA was $34,921, and the median income for a family was $41,952. Males had a median income of $30,308 versus $23,069 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $19,031.
Combined statistical area The Asheville–Waynesville–Brevard, NC Combined Statistical Area is made up of five counties in western North Carolina. The statistical area includes the Asheville metropolitan area and the micropolitan areas of Waynesville and Brevard, North Carolina. Statistical Area2025 estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityAsheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical AreaWaynesville, NC Micropolitan Statistical AreaBrevard, NC Micropolitan Statistical AreaTotal
See also North Carolina statistical areas List of cities, towns, and villages in North Carolina List of unincorporated communities in North Carolina
References