Asheville is a city located in Buncombe County, North Carolina6, and is
its county seat. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of
68,889. It is the largest city in western North Carolina.
Asheville is located at the confluence of the Swannanoa River into the
French Broad River, which continues all the way northwest through the
Appalachian Mountains to Knoxville in Tennessee. Being in a very
mountainous area, its weather tends to be somewhat irregular and
unpredictable, though morning fog in the valley is quite common. Its
climate has the typical hot and humid summers of the southeastern U.S.,
but the temperature difference is more appreciable in the winter, when
Asheville almost always receives snow (and sometimes freezing rain) a few
times each year.
The city is best known for the lavish Biltmore Estate, which attracts
hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. It is also extremely popular
in the autumn when fall foliage peaks in October. The scenic Blue Ridge
Parkway also runs through town and the estate. Biltmore Village is a
section of the city adjacent to the estate, where workers stayed during
its construction. Author Thomas Wolfe was born in Asheville. Author F.
Scott Fitzgerald lived and worked in Asheville during some of his literary
career. His wife, Zelda, died in a fire in an Asheville sanitarium in
1948.
In 2003, alleged bomber Eric Robert Rudolph was transported to Asheville
from Murphy, North Carolina for arraignment in federal court. In September
2004, major flooding was reported in town, particularly at Biltmore
Village, due to rains from the remnants of Hurricane Frances and Hurricane
Ivan.
Asheville is served by Asheville Regional Airport in nearby Fletcher,
North Carolina, and by Interstate 40 and Interstate 26.
Geography
Asheville is located at 35°34'48" North, 82°33'21" West (35.579862,
-82.555810)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
107.0 km˛ (41.3 mi˛). 106.0 km˛ (40.9 mi˛) of it is land and 1.0 km˛ (0.4
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 0.94% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 68,889 people, 30,690 households, and
16,726 families residing in the city. The population density is 650.0/km˛
(1,683.4/mi˛). There are 33,567 housing units at an average density of
316.7/km˛ (820.3/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 77.95% White,
17.61% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.06% Pacific
Islander, 1.53% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 3.76%
of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 30,690 households out of which 22.2% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 38.1% are married couples living together, 13.0%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% are non-families.
36.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.8% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size
is 2.14 and the average family size is 2.81.
In the city the population is spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18,
10.3% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.3%
who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every
100 females there are 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over,
there are 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $32,772, and the median
income for a family is $44,029. Males have a median income of $30,463
versus $23,488 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,024.
15.5% of the population and 10.3% of families are below the poverty line.
Out of the total people living in poverty, 20.9% are under the age of 18
and 10.1% are 65 or older.
Several ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Asheville in
honor of this town.
