More Buncombe County shoppers turn to thrift stores as prices rise

Rising prices are pushing more Buncombe County families toward thrift stores and consignment shops, where secondhand purchases are becoming a practical way to cover clothing, housewares and other basics. In Asheville and across western North Carolina, what was once often a niche habit is increasingly part of the monthly budget.

The shift is showing up beyond storefront racks. Goodwill said its online sales are up 19% from last year, a sign that bargain hunting is moving across both physical stores and digital resale platforms. ShopGoodwill now draws items from more than 150 Goodwills across the United States and Canada, widening the reach of a market built around lower-cost alternatives.

That demand comes at a time when Buncombe County households are still absorbing the shock of Tropical Storm Helene and stubborn housing costs. The county’s Helene housing recovery effort says it is still working to understand Helene’s impacts, monitor housing needs and identify temporary, short-term, long-term and permanent housing solutions. In Asheville, 160 families received up to three months of rental assistance through the Helene Recovery Housing Assistance Grant program, with an average grant of $3,554.

The pressure is also visible in the local homelessness count. The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care’s 2025 Point-in-Time Count, completed Jan. 28, 2025, found 755 people experiencing homelessness in Buncombe County, up from 739 in 2024. It counted 328 people unsheltered, a 50% increase from the prior year, and 116 of those people said they were homeless because of Tropical Storm Helene.

Housing data help explain why secondhand shopping is no longer just a frugal preference. Realtor.com reported Buncombe County’s median rent at $1,791 a month in April 2026 and its median listing price at $575,000. FRED’s county housing series also runs through April 2026, including median listing price and days on market, underscoring how elevated the local market remains.

In that environment, thrift stores and resale shops are doing more than clearing out closets. They are helping Asheville-area families stretch paychecks that are being squeezed by rent, rebuilding costs and everyday inflation. Whether demand keeps rising fast enough to strain supply, or even lift resale prices, will shape how long secondhand shopping remains one of the county’s most reliable survival strategies.