Buncombe County, North Carolina: Professional Migration
North Carolina · Presidential Elections 1892–2024
D+24.7
2024 Margin
D+3.6%
2020→2024 Swing
D since 2008
Voting Streak
269K
Population
Buncombe County, North Carolina voted D+24.7 for Kamala Harris in 2024, with Harris receiving 98,662 votes (61.47%). This represented a D+3.6% swing toward Democrats compared to 2020. The county has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 2008.
Quick Stats
2024 ResultD+24.7
2020→2024 SwingD+3.6%
Voting StreakD since 2008
Elections on Record34
Demographics
Population269,452
Median Age
42.3(US: 38.4)
College (BA+)
44.6%(US: 34.6%)
Median Income
$66,531(US: $78k)
White (non-Hisp)
81.2%(US: 57.5%)
Hispanic
8.3%(US: 18.6%)
Black
5.7%(US: 12.3%)
Asian
1.1%(US: 5.7%)
Homeownership
64.4%(US: 64.2%)
Poverty Rate
11.8%(US: 12.4%)
Veterans
6.7%(US: 6.4%)
Non-English (CVAP)
4.8%(US: 17.1%)
Community Profile
Religious Composition
Source: Religion Census 2020Evangelical
33.9%(+17.4 vs US)
Mainline Protestant
7.3%(+2.1 vs US)
Catholic
7.2%(-11.5 vs US)
Black Protestant
1.8%
LDS/Mormon
0.6%(-1.4 vs US)
Age Distribution
Median:42.3 yrs(US: 38.5)
Under 18
18.1%↓
18-29
7.5%↓
30-44
20.4%
45-64
33.1%↑
65+
20.8%↑
National average
Employment by Industry
Source: Census ACSEducationVery high
13.9%Professional Services
11.9%Retail Trade
11.7%Manufacturing
9.4%Construction
8.2%HealthcareVery low
4.7%Political relevance:
Education: Union strongholdHealthcare: ACA debates
+ 1 more industries
Presidential Elections
Presidential Results
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 61.5%(98,662) | 36.8%(59,016) | D+24.7 | D+3.6 |
| 2020 | 59.7%(96,515) | 38.6%(62,412) | D+21.1 | D+6.9 |
| 2016 | 54.3%(75,452) | 40.1%(55,716) | D+14.2 | D+1.7 |
| 2012 | 55.3%(70,625) | 42.8%(54,701) | D+12.5 | R+1.4 |
| 2008 | 56.3%(69,716) | 42.4%(52,494) | D+13.9 | D+14.5 |
| 2004 | 49.4%(51,868) | 50.0%(52,491) | R+0.6 | D+8.3 |
| 2000 | 45.1%(38,545) | 53.9%(46,101) | R+8.8 | R+10.5 |
| 1996 | 45.8%(31,658) | 44.2%(30,518) | D+1.6 | R+1.1 |
| 1992 | 43.6%(32,955) | 40.9%(30,892) | D+2.7 | D+18.1 |
| 1988 | 42.1%(26,964) | 57.5%(36,828) | R+15.4 | D+8.1 |
Source: Official state election returns via MIT Election Data + Science Lab
Senate Elections
Senate Results
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 63.1%(73,807) | 36.9%(43,222) | D+26.1 | D+5.3 |
| 2020 | 60.4%(92,664) | 39.6%(60,688) | D+20.9 | D+5.8 |
| 2016 | 57.5%(75,897) | 42.5%(56,086) | D+15.0 | R+3.7 |
| 2014 | 59.4%(49,455) | 40.6%(33,872) | D+18.7 | D+15.5 |
| 2010 | 51.6%(39,017) | 48.4%(36,632) | D+3.1 | R+17.2 |
| 2008 | 60.2%(70,777) | 39.8%(46,855) | D+20.3 | D+15.3 |
| 2004 | 52.5%(51,745) | 47.5%(46,763) | D+5.1 | D+5.1 |
| 2002 | 50.0%(31,359) | 50.0%(31,360) | Even | R+6.0 |
| 1998 | 53.0%(30,321) | 47.0%(26,902) | D+6.0 | D+4.3 |
| 1996 | 50.8%(35,813) | 49.2%(34,648) | D+1.6 | D+5.5 |
Source: Official state election returns via MIT Election Data + Science Lab
Governor Elections
Governor Results
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 70.6%(106,611) | 29.4%(44,373) | D+41.2 | D+15.0 |
| 2020 | 63.1%(99,395) | 36.9%(58,153) | D+26.2 | D+3.8 |
| 2016 | 61.2%(81,877) | 38.8%(51,874) | D+22.4 | D+16.8 |
| 2012 | 52.8%(64,389) | 47.2%(57,541) | D+5.6 | R+13.6 |
| 2008 | 59.6%(69,783) | 40.4%(47,283) | D+19.2 | D+0.8 |
| 2004 | 59.2%(58,863) | 40.8%(40,551) | D+18.4 | D+14.1 |
| 2000 | 52.2%(43,436) | 47.8%(39,802) | D+4.4 | R+1.2 |
| 1996 | 52.8%(36,973) | 47.2%(33,086) | D+5.5 | R+1.5 |
| 1992 | 53.5%(38,748) | 46.5%(33,659) | D+7.0 | D+19.3 |
| 1988 | 43.9%(28,881) | 56.1%(36,968) | R+12.3 | R+6.6 |
Source: Official state election returns via MIT Election Data + Science Lab