Barnardsville, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 445, Barnardsville's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Barnardsville is a small community located in North Carolina, within Buncombe County. The total population is 445. It ranks as the 606th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Barnardsville is 59.2 years. This is 51% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 4.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 18.4% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Barnardsville is $97,610. This is 35% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 21% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.7%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Barnardsville, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $153,000. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Barnardsville is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 82.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Barnardsville was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

26.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 68.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Barnardsville, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.