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WNC Business

Manufacturing's economic impact

Jan 31, 2023 05:40PM ● By Randee Brown

Western North Carolina’s manufacturing industry is a sector that makes up a large part of the economy for the Asheville Metro Statistical Area which comprises Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Madison Counties.

Heidi Reiber, Senior Director of Riverbird Research at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, shared data showing the overall concentration of jobs in the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area was 33 percent greater than the national average in 2021, the total number of jobs in the MSA increasing by 1,352 in the last five years. This data suggests the region likely has areas of specialization in manufacturing activities, according to Riverbird Research. 

The 2016-2021 jobs growth rate of 7 percent outpaced the state's overall 0 percent growth. These jobs are within 570 payrolled business locations within the Asheville MSA.

Within the Asheville MSA in 2021, the industry consisted of 21,769 jobs with an average annual wage of $57,542. Within Buncombe County there were 13,756 jobs. Henderson, Haywood, and Madison counties had 5,022, 2,586, and 404 manufacturing jobs respectively.
Manufacturing Region Manufacturing Economy
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