Buncombe County -- May 18, 2026: Buncombe County is heading into the final stretch of the fiscal year on solid financial footing. According to the county’s latest third-quarter financial report, a powerful combination of rising property values, resilient consumer spending, and savvy investing has driven revenues up 7.5% compared to this time last year.
The report, which tracks the county's financial health through March 31, 2026, reveals that General Fund revenues climbed to $384.9 million. Remarkably, while the county's inflows saw a substantial boost, overall expenditures remained remarkably flat, giving local officials a comfortable cushion as they manage long-term infrastructure demands.
Property and Sales Taxes Fuel the Surge
The engine behind the county’s financial growth remains its local tax base:
Property Tax Dominance: Ad valorem tax collections jumped 7% to $282.5 million. This single stream accounts for more than 73% of the county’s total General Fund revenue.
Sales Tax Spike: Reflecting robust tourism and local consumer confidence, sales tax revenues soared by 27.1%, bringing in $28.8 million.
Smart Investing: The county capitalized on high-yielding environments, reporting $229.2 million in General Fund cash investments, which yielded $4.4 million in earnings so far this fiscal year.
Disciplined Spending and Long-Term Investments
Despite inflation and rising operational pressures elsewhere, Buncombe County kept its day-to-day spending in check. General Fund expenditures for the first nine months totaled $302.5 million—a slight decrease from the $302.8 million recorded during the same period last year.
However, the county continues to invest heavily in its future. Local leaders are currently managing a massive $154.3 million capital projects budget, with $71.7 million spent so far on critical multi-year initiatives, including:
School construction and modernization
Public safety infrastructure improvements
County facility upgrades
Growth Brings Higher Solid Waste Demands
The economic activity across the region is also reflected in the county’s waste management system. While revenue from landfill tipping fees and related services grew by 4.1%, the actual cost of solid waste operations outpaced that growth, jumping from $8.9 million last year to $10.8 million this quarter.
A Sustainable Outlook
Out of the county's total $438.1 million budget for the fiscal year, Finance Director Melissa Moore’s report highlighted that only $600,000 of appropriated fund balance (reserve savings) was required to balance the books. This minimal reliance on reserves proves that Buncombe County is successfully funding its day-to-day operations through active, recurring revenue streams.