Jobs, pay and daily life in Asheville, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Asheville is a city in North Carolina with 94,535 residents. The median household earns $71,102 a year and the median rent is $1,402 a month, which is 23.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Asheville, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 180,620 jobs.
How Asheville compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Asheville is #11 by population, #2 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #25 for college degrees (#1 = most), #31 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Buncombe County, is #12 of 100 counties for average pay ($58,785).
Asheville has 94,535 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.9% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 45 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,079 people per square mile. The median age is 40.7, 4% older than the state median (40.7 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,402 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% above the state median ($1,402 against $1,228). Over a year that is 23.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $440,000, which is 6.2 times the median household income ($71,102); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 51.9% of households own their home, 22% below the state average (51.9% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Asheville, NC metropolitan area has 180,620 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,870 a year, 8% below the national median ($46,870 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (20,650 jobs, median $44,980); food preparation and serving related (19,560 jobs, median $31,560); sales and related (18,040 jobs, median $37,070). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.3 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($102,450) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($81,780). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Buncombe County was 2.8%. 61.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Buncombe County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 66.1% drive alone, 1.3% use public transit, 3.4% walk, 20.1% work from home. 4.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 67% below the state average (4.6% against 13.9%).
53.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 50% above the state share (53.4% against 35.6%). 7.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 23% below the state share (7.0% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 14.2%, 9% above the state rate (14.2% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (23.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 35°F (1.4°C). About 1,347 mm (53 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (135 mm) and Feb the driest (98 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Hendersonville (18 miles, rent 5% lower); Waynesville (26 miles, rent 24% lower); Travelers Rest (43 miles, rent 26% lower); Greeneville (44 miles, rent 54% lower). Rent differences are against Asheville; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideBuncombe CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 5,570 | 1.23 | $34,110 | $23,570 | $46,660 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,680 | 1.19 | $81,590 | $65,100 | $118,330 | -16% |
| Cashiers | 4,240 | 1.18 | $29,400 | $23,130 | $36,600 | -11% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,980 | 1.21 | $37,120 | $30,590 | $46,700 | -1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,850 | 0.86 | $28,810 | $22,090 | $36,420 | -8% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 3,360 | 0.98 | $38,440 | $30,470 | $49,070 | -4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,250 | 1.23 | $34,450 | $18,080 | $65,110 | -2% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 3,000 | 2.69 | $41,520 | $36,980 | $56,680 | -10% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,850 | 0.95 | $38,980 | $29,820 | $54,900 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,590 | 0.64 | $93,470 | $49,580 | $212,550 | -12% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,590 | 1.54 | $40,170 | $33,670 | $49,030 | -5% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 2,570 | 3.45 | $28,120 | $22,030 | $35,240 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,510 | 0.88 | $45,180 | $28,860 | $61,320 | +0% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 2,480 | 1.52 | $36,590 | $29,070 | $46,670 | -2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,280 | 0.46 | $33,280 | $28,700 | $42,950 | -7% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,200 | 1.38 | $48,870 | $33,220 | $63,570 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,040 | 0.85 | $51,750 | $40,770 | $72,250 | -12% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,010 | 0.78 | $35,720 | $27,650 | $43,680 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 1,800 | 1.26 | $44,960 | $31,060 | $64,850 | +2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,740 | 0.98 | $47,360 | $34,710 | $64,170 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,020 | 2.56 | $360,010 | $164,170 | $411,580 | +35% |
| Pharmacists | 520 | 1.39 | $136,460 | $110,810 | $164,260 | -3% |
| Software Developers | 780 | 0.40 | $134,350 | $83,370 | $215,750 | -1% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 520 | 1.39 | $127,770 | $102,000 | $161,030 | -3% |
| Managers, All Other | 580 | 0.81 | $124,150 | $65,000 | $204,370 | -13% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 750 | 1.08 | $122,710 | $72,500 | $199,390 | -1% |
| Industrial Engineers | 500 | 1.17 | $100,490 | $76,120 | $126,060 | -2% |
| Project Management Specialists | 950 | 0.77 | $97,470 | $59,990 | $136,270 | -5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,590 | 0.64 | $93,470 | $49,580 | $212,550 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,680 | 1.19 | $81,590 | $65,100 | $118,330 | -16% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,540 | 0.91 | $80,400 | $51,740 | $130,870 | -4% |
| Management Analysts | 610 | 0.58 | $75,990 | $44,440 | $165,560 | -25% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,080 | 1.14 | $73,720 | $52,210 | $97,840 | -8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 800 | 1.11 | $73,100 | $46,570 | $103,390 | -8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 840 | 1.07 | $70,470 | $49,600 | $100,790 | -5% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 910 | 0.85 | $70,210 | $46,480 | $115,920 | -8% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 530 | 0.92 | $67,600 | $46,450 | $110,370 | -13% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,170 | 0.93 | $66,720 | $46,960 | $115,210 | -20% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 530 | 1.03 | $66,510 | $49,070 | $82,350 | +3% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 860 | 1.14 | $65,470 | $50,280 | $75,070 | +2% |
These figures are for the whole Asheville, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,870 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 15.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 15.5% |
| Retail trade | 11.0% |
| Manufacturing | 9.6% |
| Construction | 5.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Other services | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 2.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Asheville lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buncombe County | 274,360 | $21,262 million | $77,497 | 136,495 | 13,107 | $58,785 | -1.3% | 2.8% | 137,407 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 23,432 | 19.4% | $66,490 | 1.20 |
| Accommodation and food services | 17,364 | 14.4% | $31,006 | 1.40 |
| Retail trade | 17,265 | 14.3% | $36,955 | 1.27 |
| Manufacturing | 12,790 | 10.6% | $66,643 | 1.14 |
| Professional and technical services | 6,949 | 5.8% | $84,341 | 0.73 |
| Administrative and waste services | 6,834 | 5.7% | $51,779 | 0.85 |
| Construction | 6,765 | 5.6% | $68,609 | 0.94 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5,756 | 4.8% | $44,112 | 1.40 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,816 | 3.2% | $54,587 | 0.66 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,556 | 2.9% | $78,134 | 0.66 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 3,548 | 2.9% | $39,900 | 1.55 |
| Educational services | 3,449 | 2.9% | $56,994 | 1.22 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,625 | 2.2% | $99,397 | 0.47 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,565 | 2.1% | $56,793 | 1.21 |
| Information | 1,930 | 1.6% | $120,489 | 0.75 |
| Management of companies | 1,128 | 0.9% | $91,218 | 0.49 |
| Utilities | 532 | 0.4% | $137,133 | 1.03 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 303 | 0.3% | $41,138 | 0.27 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 118 | 0.1% | $81,036 | 0.23 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 66.1% |
| Public transit | 1.3% |
| Walk | 3.4% |
| Work from home | 20.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,102 |
| Income per person | $45,430 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,402 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.7% |
| Median home value | $440,000 |
| Homeowners | 51.9% |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,870 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 53.4% |
| Born abroad | 7.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.4 | 35 | 99 |
| Feb | 3.1 | 38 | 98 |
| Mar | 7.4 | 45 | 105 |
| Apr | 12.5 | 54 | 113 |
| May | 17.1 | 63 | 120 |
| Jun | 21.3 | 70 | 117 |
| Jul | 23.0 | 73 | 135 |
| Aug | 22.6 | 73 | 119 |
| Sep | 19.2 | 67 | 117 |
| Oct | 13.3 | 56 | 98 |
| Nov | 7.3 | 45 | 102 |
| Dec | 3.4 | 38 | 124 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hendersonville | NC | 18 mi | 15,408 | $53,449 | $1,332 |
| Waynesville | NC | 26 mi | 10,502 | $54,923 | $1,070 |
| Travelers Rest | SC | 43 mi | 8,370 | $54,583 | $1,033 |
| Greeneville | TN | 44 mi | 15,646 | $49,889 | $650 |
| Taylors | SC | 47 mi | 24,505 | $77,144 | $1,337 |
| Sans Souci | SC | 48 mi | 7,665 | $45,069 | $999 |
| Greer | SC | 48 mi | 41,536 | $82,626 | $1,198 |
| Berea | SC | 48 mi | 16,862 | $49,829 | $1,076 |
| Boiling Springs | SC | 49 mi | 12,936 | $72,068 | $1,266 |
| Wade Hampton | SC | 49 mi | 20,898 | $77,449 | $1,115 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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94,535 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,402 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.7% of the median household income.
$71,102 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.8% (BLS county, Buncombe County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.