NAICS 53

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Asheville, NC

Metro Market Score 65.0 (Difficult), ranked #300 of 330 metros. 1,056 establishments, 2,993 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 65.0
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national real estate and rental and leasing average.

Asheville's real estate and rental and leasing sector saw employment decline over the past year (growth trend: 9.4). That contraction, combined with a 65.0 market score, puts this metro in the bottom 10% for market conditions. Understand why the local market is shrinking before committing.

Industry Concentration
80.6
LQ: 1.04
Rank #266 of 330 metros
Wage Competitiveness
53.9
$56,243 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 9.4
Employment growth index
Rank #300 of 330 metros
Wage Pressure
20.8
YoY wage change index

1,056 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Firms in Asheville

1,056
Establishments
-10.0% YoY
2,993
Total Employment
-6.6% YoY
$56,243
Average Annual Wage
+6.4% YoY
1.04
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Asheville vs North Carolina Statewide

How this metro's real estate and rental and leasing market compares to North Carolina overall. The state ranks #23/51 for entry risk.

Measure Asheville NC Statewide
Overall Score 65.0 Difficult 38.1 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #300 of 330 metros #23 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Asheville

Construction 56.7 Finance and Insurance 59.2 Information 64.8 Retail Trade 72.8 Other Services 75.1 Accommodation and Food Services 85.4

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Other North Carolina Metros

Goldsboro 29.8 #66/330 Burlington 31.2 #76/330 Rocky Mount 33.1 #86/330 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 38.4 #120/330 Winston-Salem 39.9 #135/330 Pinehurst-Southern Pines 40.1 #137/330 Durham-Chapel Hill 40.8 #149/330 Wilmington 41.9 #161/330 Greenville 47.9 #201/330 Fayetteville 52.5 #235/330

+ 4 more metros. View all in North Carolina →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Asheville's real estate and rental and leasing sector, the employment growth component (90.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.