Seven questions about Asheville

Each one starts with the best public answer, then shows the decisions behind it and what's still unknown.

• HousingCan people afford to stay?More than half of Asheville's renter households spend at least 30% of their income on rent and utilities, and about one in four spend half or more.54.1%of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent and utilities2020–2024Asheville cityExplore housing →
• HomelessnessAre more people getting housed?Public data can't answer that yet. What's published is a one-night count: 824 people were counted as homeless across Buncombe County on February 10, 2026, up 69 from the year before.Housing placements aren't published yet. What's counted:824people counted as homeless on one nightFebruary 10, 2026Asheville–Buncombe County, countywideExplore homelessness →
• RecoveryWhere is recovery money going?Washington gave Asheville its own $225 million rebuilding grant. As of June 30, 2026, the city reported $92.5 million of it committed to projects, $1.2 million drawn down and none yet recorded as spent. State lawmakers set aside more than $1 billion for Helene recovery in 2025, and Council had approved $219.5 million in Helene budgets by September 2026. Each is a different stage of money, so they can't be added together.Where Asheville's $225M federal grant stands:$92.5Mcommitted to recovery projects so farAs of June 30, 2026 (report awaiting HUD review)City of AshevilleExplore recovery →
• WaterCan Asheville count on its water now?The City lifted its system-wide boil water notice on November 18, 2024, after what its recovery hub calls 53 days without potable tap water following Tropical Storm Helene. In October 2025 the City said both treatment-plant watersheds remained vulnerable and that FEMA-funded temporary pretreatment, costing about $6 million a month, was still running at North Fork and DeBruhl while permanent fixes are designed.This number tells you how long the outage lasted. It does not tell you how reliable the system is today. As of October 2025, the City said both watersheds remained vulnerable.53 dayswithout potable tap water after Tropical Storm Helene, ending when the boil water notice was lifted system-wideSeptember 2024 to November 18, 2024City of Asheville water systemExplore water →
• Public safetyDoes Asheville have enough police officers and crisis responders?In July 2026 Asheville had 191 of its 232 authorized sworn police positions filled, so 41 were vacant. Its main non-police crisis team, the Fire Department's REST, was set up with 8 positions (5 firefighters and 3 civilians), and in July 2026 police and REST began a 60-day pilot that sends an RHA Health Services mental health professional on some crisis calls.For every 29 authorized police positions, the City has budgeted about 1 Fire Department community responder.8Fire Department REST community responder positions, compared with 232 authorized sworn police positionsREST: 8 positions in the FY2025 budget, still funded in FY2027; police: July 2026City of AshevilleExplore public safety →
• Streets and transitHow well are Asheville's buses and streets working, and what is the City spending on them?Asheville Rides Transit (ART) carried 1.42 million rides in FY 2024-25 with 61% of trips on time, and the City's average Pavement Condition Index was 53.9 that year. For FY 2026-27 the Transit Services Fund is budgeted at about $16.1 million, including an $8.43 million General Fund subsidy, and voters approved a $20 million transportation bond in November 2024.Ridership is one measure of how the bus system is doing. For streets, the City reports an average Pavement Condition Index of 53.9 for the same year.1.42MART bus rides in one year (annual ridership)FY 2024-25 actual (July 2024 to June 2025)Asheville Rides Transit systemExplore streets and transit →
• Budget and taxesWhat does the City spend, and what does it charge in property tax?Council adopted a $275.8 million FY 2026-27 budget, including a $187.5 million General Fund. After a new state law made Buncombe County use pre-revaluation property values, Council set the City property tax rate at 50.78 cents per $100 of assessed value on July 15, 2026, a rate the City says raises the same revenue as the 37.69 cents adopted on June 9.50.78¢City property tax rate per $100 of assessed valueFY 2026-27 (July 2026 to June 2027)City of AshevilleExplore budget and taxes →