Buncombe County, North Carolina
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, making it the 7th-most populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Asheville. Buncombe County is part of the Asheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Buncombe County Courthouse in Asheville
Seal
Western North Carolina is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains; it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It contains the highest mountains in the Eastern United States, with 125 peaks rising to over 5,000 feet in elevation. Mount Mitchell at 6,684 feet, is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and mainland eastern North America. The population of the 23 most commonly associated counties for the region, as measured by the 2020 U.S. Census, is 1,149,405.
The region accounts for approximately 11% of North Carolina's total population.
The Biltmore Estate outside Asheville
View from top of Hibriten Mountain in the Brushy Mountains, showing City of Lenoir below and greater outskirts of Caldwell County
View from Sanford Mall, on campus of Appalachian State University
The Blue Ridge Parkway heading towards Grandfather Mountain