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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Asheville, NC

Population: 93,695 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

B
65/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$2.0B
Per Capita
$21,304
Total Revenue
$1.7B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
51.2%$1.0B
Housing & Community Development
16.1%$320.8M
Parks & Recreation
9.4%$187.8M
Interest on Debt
6.1%$121.0M
Hospitals
5.9%$118.8M
Public Welfare
4.3%$86.2M
Utilities
3.6%$71.5M
Fire Protection
1.8%$35.8M
Highways & Roads
1.6%$32.3M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
1.8%$30.6M
Sales Tax
7.0%$118.7M
Income Tax
3.7%$62.9M
Intergovernmental
19.1%$324.7M
Charges & Fees
24.0%$408.4M
Other
6.8%$115.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$382/person
Highways & Roads$345/person
Parks & Recreation$2,005/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)34/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)42/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Asheville stacks up against another city.

vs Charlotte, NCvs Raleigh, NCvs Greensboro, NC
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Pop. 875K

C
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$15,854

Raleigh, NC

Pop. 466K

B
Total Spending
$6.5B
Per Capita
$13,911

Greensboro, NC

Pop. 297K

C
Total Spending
$5.8B
Per Capita
$19,352

Durham, NC

Pop. 284K

B
Total Spending
$8.9B
Per Capita
$31,264

Compare Asheville With

Charlotte, NC

Spending: $15,854/person · Grade: C

Raleigh, NC

Spending: $13,911/person · Grade: B

Greensboro, NC

Spending: $19,352/person · Grade: C

Durham, NC

Spending: $31,264/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Asheville, NC spends $21,304 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.0B for a population of 93,695. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (65/100).

Asheville, NC has total expenditures of $2.0B and total revenue of $1.7B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Asheville, NC employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Asheville, NC has a Fiscal Health Score of B (65/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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