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Buncombe County, North Carolina facts for kids

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Buncombe County
Buncombe County Courthouse in Asheville
Buncombe County Courthouse in Asheville
Official seal of Buncombe County
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Buncombe County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  North Carolina
Founded 1791
Named for Edward Buncombe
Seat Asheville
Largest city Asheville
Area
 • Total 660 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Land 657 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Water 3.5 sq mi (9 km2)  0.5%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
261,191
 • Density 363/sq mi (140/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 11th

Buncombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is classified within Western North Carolina. The 2020 census reported the population was 269,452. Its county seat is Asheville. Buncombe County is part of the Asheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was formed in 1791 from parts of Burke County and Rutherford County. It was named for Edward Buncombe, a colonel in the American Revolutionary War, who was captured at the Battle of Germantown. The large county originally extended to the Tennessee line. Many of the settlers were Baptists, and in 1807 the pastors of six churches including the revivalist Sion Blythe formed the French Broad Association of Baptist churches in the area.

In 1808 the western part of Buncombe County became Haywood County. In 1833 parts of Burke County and Buncombe County were combined to form Yancey County, and in 1838 the southern part of what was left of Buncombe County became Henderson County. In 1851 parts of Buncombe County and Yancey County were combined to form Madison County. Finally, in 1925 the Broad River township of McDowell County was transferred to Buncombe County.

In 1820, a U.S. Congressman, whose district included Buncombe County, unintentionally contributed a word to the English language. In the Sixteenth Congress, after lengthy debate on the Missouri Compromise, members of the House called for an immediate vote on that important question. Instead, Felix Walker rose to address his colleagues, insisting that his constituents expected him to make a speech "for Buncombe." It was later remarked that Walker's untimely and irrelevant oration was not just for Buncombe—it "was Buncombe." Thus, buncombe, afterwards spelled bunkum and then shortened to bunk, became a term for empty, nonsensical talk. This, in turn, is the etymology of the verb debunk.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 660 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 657 square miles (1,700 km2) is land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) (0.5%) is water.

The French Broad River enters the county at its border with Henderson County to the south and flows north into Madison County. The source of the Swannanoa River, which joins the French Broad River in Asheville, is in northeast Buncombe County near Mount Mitchell. A milestone was achieved in 2003 when Interstate 26 was extended from Mars Hill (north of Asheville) to Johnson City, Tennessee, completing a 20-year, half-billion dollar construction project through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Major highways

  • I-26
  • I-40
  • I-240
  • US 19
  • US 23
  • US 25
  • US 25A
  • US 70
  • US 74
  • US 74A
  • NC 9
  • NC 63
  • NC 81
  • NC 112
  • NC 146
  • NC 151
  • NC 191
  • NC 197
  • NC 251
  • NC 280
  • NC 694

National protected areas

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1800 5,812
1810 9,277 59.6%
1820 10,542 13.6%
1830 16,281 54.4%
1840 10,084 −38.1%
1850 13,425 33.1%
1860 12,654 −5.7%
1870 15,412 21.8%
1880 21,909 42.2%
1890 35,266 61.0%
1900 44,288 25.6%
1910 49,798 12.4%
1920 64,148 28.8%
1930 97,937 52.7%
1940 108,755 11.0%
1950 124,403 14.4%
1960 130,074 4.6%
1970 145,056 11.5%
1980 160,934 10.9%
1990 174,821 8.6%
2000 206,330 18.0%
2010 238,318 15.5%
2020 269,452 13.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2013

Since 1970, the county has had a steady rise in population, attracting retirees, second-home buyers and others from outside the region.

2020 census

Buncombe County racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 214,862 79.74%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 15,017 5.57%
Native American 727 0.27%
Asian 3,274 1.22%
Pacific Islander 467 0.17%
Other/Mixed 13,183 4.89%
Hispanic or Latino 21,922 8.14%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 269,452 people, 106,741 households, and 63,675 families residing in the county.

Communities

Map of Buncombe County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels
Map of Buncombe County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

City

Towns

Townships

  • Asheville
  • Avery Creek
  • Black Mountain
  • Broad River
  • Fairview
  • Flat Creek
  • French Broad
  • Hazel
  • Ivy
  • Leicester
  • Limestone
  • Lower Hominy
  • Reems Creek
  • Sandy Mush
  • Swannanoa
  • Woodfin
  • Upper Hominy

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Buncombe para niños

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