The Asheville and Buncombe County labor markets continue to make a slow but steady recovery months after Hurricane Helene, according to data released Wednesday by the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Buncombe County’s unemployment rate was 6.0% in December 2024, down from 7.4% in November and 10.4% in October. Figures from January are expected to be available next month.
The figure remains more than double what it was before Hurricane Helene hit in late September. Buncombe County’s unemployment rate was 2.5% that month, among the lowest in the state. It is now tied with Madison County for the state’s second-highest unemployment rate, with only Mitchell County ranking higher.
Unemployment in the Asheville metropolitan statistical area — which includes Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood and Madison counties — is also ticking downward, showing signs of improvement.
The metro area’s unemployment rate was 5.1% in December, down from 6.2% in November and 8.5% in October. The figure is currently the highest of any metro area in the state.
Prior to the storm, in September, the Asheville metro area had an unemployment rate of 2.6%, which was also the state’s lowest.
Experts say the region’s recovery is likely to take years and is closely linked to issues such as infrastructure repairs, the return of tourism and the availability of affordable housing.
