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Succeed Where life's a Pleasure

Welcome to the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County (EDC).

The EDC is your singular source for comprehensive economic development services, working as a clearinghouse of resources, relationships, and expertise to help companies connect and grow in our city’s vibrant economy. Our mission is to attract, create, and expand business opportunities...in short, to help business succeed in Asheville.

Asheville’s metropolitan area has a population of 400,000 and a $13.2 billion economy, with a diverse yet balanced mix of knowledge-based enterprises, advanced manufacturing, professional services, and growth industry companies.

The Economic Development Coalition is brought to you by a consortium of public and private entities, including Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Advantage Asheville campaigns.

Asheville is in a great position to do business, sitting at the crossroads of two major interstates- I-40, which links the East and West Coasts of the United States, and I-26, which connects Charleston, S.C., to the Ohio River Valley.  One half of the Nation's population is within a day's drive.

Click here to find out what makes Asheville the ideal location for your business.


Asheville Metro Economy Snapshot

December 2009 Year-to-Year Change

Unemployment Rate +2.2 percentage points
Total Employment ‐2.7%
Number of Homes Sold  +44.1%
Average Price of Homes Sold +13.6%
Hotel/Motel Sales (Buncombe County) +3.6%
Airport Activity - Total Passengers -1.1%
Number of New Building Permits -21.6%
Value of Building Permits ‐32.6%

New!  Click on this icon below to access economic development information in Mandarin Chinese.
Mandarin site

EDC Brochure (PDF)

ED VideoClick to View