Small business is the backbone of Asheville’s economy. The community embraces the impact of these companies on our culture and lifestyle.Asheville, located in the Blue Ridge Mountain range, is home to a number of satellite campuses of regional universities like the University of North Carolina at Asheville as well as Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Live music is a significant element in the tourism-based economy of Asheville and the surrounding area. Seasonal festivals and numerous nightclubs and performance venues offer opportunities for visitors and locals to attend a wide variety of live entertainment events. Asheville is a major hub of whitewater recreation, particularly whitewater kayaking, in the eastern US. Many kayak manufacturers are based in the Asheville area.
At a Glance
- Metro Population: 433,100
- Major Industries: Tourism, Health care
- Gross Metro Product: $17.2 B
- Median Household Income: $41,895
- Median Home Price: $165,800
- Unemployment: 6.9%
- Job Growth (2012): 1.4%
- Cost of Living: 2.6% below nat’l avg
- College Attainment: 29.9%
- Net Migration (2012): 4,820
Forbes Lists
Top Companies and Employers:
Buncombe County Public SchoolsIngles Markets, Inc. (Home Office) Buncombe County
Mission Health System and Hospital
City of Asheville
The Biltmore Company
Museums Buncombe County Government
The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa
VA Medical Center – Asheville Department of Veterans Affairs
Asheville City Schools
MB Haynes Corp. (Division Offices) Construction
Arvato Digital Services
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
University of North Carolina at Asheville
Biltmore Farms
Broo
Aeroflow Healthcare
Guthy Renker Fulfillment Services Center
