Metro area profile · North Carolina
Asheville, NC metro area market data
How the Asheville metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 422,345
- +3.6% since 2020
- Households
- 161,264
- Median household income
- $71,838
- Median home value
- $370,900
- Jobs located here
- 190,451
- Highest market score
- 80
- Insurance agencies, #37 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Asheville metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Asheville metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Asheville metro area has an estimated 422,345 people and 161,264 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Asheville metro area grew 3.6%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Asheville metro area is $71,838, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Asheville metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 129, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (74).
Of the business types scored in the Asheville metro area, insurance agencies (80), dry cleaners (75) and funeral homes (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #37 of 387 scored metro areas.
The Asheville metro area takes in 3 counties: Buncombe County, Henderson County and Madison County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for oil change and quick-lube shops (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for dry cleaners (54% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Asheville metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Asheville metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 80 | #37 of 387 | 195 | 12.1 | $2.1M | 166 | 134 |
| Dry cleaners | 75 | #17 of 272 | 10 | 0.6 | $30.2M | 193 | 9 |
| Funeral homes | 71 | #69 of 377 | 33 | 2.0 | $869K | 128 | 18 |
| Barbershops | 70 | #50 of 387 | 52 | 3.2 | $2.8M | 146 | 5 |
| Laundromats | 63 | #99 of 364 | 17 | 1.1 | $17.8M | 142 | 10 |
| Convenience stores | 62 | #117 of 387 | 118 | 7.3 | $8.2M | 104 | 25 |
| Child care and preschools | 61 | #114 of 387 | 79 | 4.9 | $917K | 91 | 66 |
| Pest control | 56 | #132 of 345 | 27 | 1.7 | $8.8M | 86 | 21 |
| Gas stations | 56 | #160 of 387 | 199 | 12.3 | $2.4M | 100 | 155 |
| House cleaning | 54 | #140 of 375 | 37 | 2.3 | $6.4M | 100 | 117 |
| Nail salons | 51 | #187 of 387 | 86 | 5.3 | $1.7M | 100 | 19 |
| Roofing and gutters | 49 | #206 of 381 | 74 | 4.6 | $6.2M | 74 | 28 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 48 | #208 of 387 | 209 | 13.0 | $2.9M | 94 | 355 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 46 | #221 of 381 | 43 | 2.7 | $3.5M | 112 | 50 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 44 | #243 of 387 | 107 | 6.6 | $4.3M | 91 | 205 |
| Car washes and detailing | 43 | #252 of 387 | 67 | 4.2 | $2.2M | 88 | 32 |
| Pizza | 42 | #254 of 387 | 131 | 8.1 | $4.6M | 91 | 355 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 40 | #264 of 387 | 347 | 21.5 | $2.8M | 82 | 114 |
| Auto repair shops | 40 | #274 of 387 | 380 | 23.6 | $391K | 88 | 173 |
| Hair salons | 39 | #304 of 387 | 366 | 22.7 | $392K | 91 | 104 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 38 | #148 of 197 | 10 | 0.6 | $17.8M | 73 | 14 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 38 | #282 of 387 | 197 | 12.2 | $1.2M | 72 | 387 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 38 | #312 of 387 | 728 | 45.1 | $197K | 93 | 194 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 37 | #296 of 373 | 76 | 4.7 | Index only | 82 | 38 |
| Home repair trades | 36 | #311 of 387 | 245 | 15.2 | $1.9M | 78 | 397 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 35 | #282 of 385 | 133 | 8.2 | $1.8M | 61 | 249 |
| Auto repair and car care | 35 | #305 of 387 | 649 | 40.2 | $229K | 85 | 272 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 33 | #302 of 387 | 307 | 19.0 | $983K | 77 | 185 |
| Gyms | 33 | #333 of 387 | 130 | 8.1 | $898K | 69 | 55 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 32 | #308 of 387 | 428 | 26.5 | $705K | 80 | 204 |
| Tire shops | 31 | #311 of 386 | 80 | 5.0 | $1.9M | 74 | 41 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 31 | #328 of 386 | 75 | 4.7 | $2.4M | 76 | 29 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 31 | #338 of 387 | 198 | 12.3 | $901K | 92 | 181 |
| Property management | 31 | #338 of 374 | 63 | 3.9 | Index only | 69 | 144 |
| Electricians | 31 | #345 of 383 | 64 | 4.0 | $7.2M | 60 | 164 |
| Grocery stores | 30 | #326 of 387 | 131 | 8.1 | $7.4M | 79 | 89 |
| Pet stores | 30 | #331 of 382 | 48 | 3.0 | $3M | 66 | 23 |
| Home inspectors | 29 | #220 of 243 | 16 | 1.0 | Index only | 58 | 23 |
| Veterinarians | 29 | #333 of 384 | 84 | 5.2 | $1.7M | 63 | 86 |
| Pet businesses | 29 | #344 of 387 | 259 | 16.1 | $553K | 63 | 170 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 29 | #352 of 387 | 1,050 | 65.1 | $574K | 86 | 433 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 28 | #344 of 386 | 101 | 6.3 | $1.4M | 56 | 61 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 28 | #357 of 387 | 193 | 12.0 | $3.1M | 75 | 168 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 27 | #359 of 387 | 243 | 15.1 | $2.5M | 67 | 149 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 27 | #371 of 387 | 92 | 5.7 | $1.3M | 63 | 50 |
| Real estate | 27 | #381 of 387 | 805 | 49.9 | Index only | 70 | 744 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 26 | #334 of 347 | 81 | 5.0 | $1.4M | 35 | 55 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 26 | #346 of 387 | 136 | 8.4 | $1.3M | 74 | 430 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 26 | #352 of 387 | 2,073 | 128.5 | $291K | 78 | 944 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 26 | #376 of 387 | 303 | 18.8 | $385K | 58 | 105 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 26 | #382 of 387 | 650 | 40.3 | Index only | 68 | 483 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 25 | #259 of 290 | 26 | 1.6 | $5.7M | 42 | 20 |
| Chiropractors | 25 | #367 of 386 | 114 | 7.1 | $1.6M | 65 | 75 |
| Spas and skin care | 25 | #378 of 387 | 206 | 12.8 | $696K | 79 | 65 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 21 | #368 of 387 | 1,831 | 113.5 | $97K | 64 | 840 |
| Physical therapy | 20 | #375 of 386 | 181 | 11.2 | $986K | 41 | 111 |
Household spending in the Asheville metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $148.6M | $921 | 96 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $474.9M | $2,945 | 113 |
| Food away from home | $602.5M | $3,736 | 92 |
| Groceries | $966.2M | $5,992 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $143.4M | $889 | 88 |
| Child care and other personal services | $72.4M | $449 | 77 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $116.7M | $724 | 74 |
| Medical and dental services | $178.4M | $1,106 | 86 |
| Pets | $143.3M | $889 | 98 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $301.9M | $1,872 | 91 |
| Vehicle insurance | $406.2M | $2,519 | 129 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $461.9M | $2,864 | 95 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $237M | $1,470 | 104 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2.4B | $15,033 | 90 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Asheville metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 422,345+3.6% since 2020
- Households
- 161,264
- Median age
- 44.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 70%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 1,479 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 280
- Median household income
- $71,838
- Average household income
- $100,473
- Median home value
- $370,900
- Jobs located here
- 190,451
- Daytime population
- 429,489Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Asheville metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Asheville metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Asheville metro area 3
- Buncombe County, NC274,360 people
- Henderson County, NC118,484 people
- Madison County, NC21,867 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
- Rocky Mount, NC metro area144,952 people
Questions
How fast is the Asheville, NC metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Asheville metro area at 422,345 people in 2025, up 3.6% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 161,264 households.
How much do households in the Asheville, NC metro area spend?
Households in the Asheville metro area spend about $2.4B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $966.2M on groceries and $602.5M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Asheville metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 129, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (74).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Asheville, NC metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Asheville metro area are for insurance agencies (80), dry cleaners (75) and funeral homes (71). The Asheville metro area ranks #37 of 387 scored metro areas for insurance agencies.
How does the Asheville, NC metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Asheville metro area is $71,838 a year, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $370,900, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Asheville metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for oil change and quick-lube shops (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for dry cleaners (54% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Asheville metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Asheville metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Asheville metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Asheville metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.