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During significant snowstorms, though, schools and some workplaces are closed. High elevations like ski areas get an average of more than 80 inches of snow during winter. Find out more about winter in North Carolina. Expect more than days of sun every year when you retire in Asheville. If you have family and friends living in other parts of the country, the Asheville Airport offers nonstop flights to places like Denver, New York, and Florida cities.
Fares out of Asheville are also comparatively priced. Asheville offers different types of retirement communities , including:. The summer heat barely reaches 90 degrees, and with an elevation of around 2, feet, only a small amount of snowfall visits during wintertime.
Spring late March to mid-May has warm days and cool nights. Mid-June evenings are light-jacket cool, while fall offers cooler days. Autumn is great for outdoor activities, leisure drives, and outdoor dining. Besides fantastic mountain vistas, national forests, and state parks, Asheville is famous for its blue-toned mountains like the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Hike, camp, or ride your bike at The Pisgah National Forest, surrounded by wooded forests and lush mountain valleys. City food with a southern charm has:. Asheville is also a beer mecca, with strong local vineyards and hard-cider distilleries. Is Asheville a good place to retire? Yes, particularly if continuing your learning is in your life plan. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers educational programs designed for seniors.
From lectures to art and music performances, you embark on a learning journey in and outside the campus. Asheville is among the favorites when it comes to outdoor adventures. Whether you prefer laid-back hiking and mountain biking or adventurous kayaking and whitewater rafting with your new lifejacket view on Amazon , Asheville is a mecca for anything outdoorsy. Asheville is home to many excellent healthcare practitioners who live and work in the city.
Residents of Asheville are very friendly and helpful. There are great dining options, coffee shops, and cafes. With lush mountains surrounding the city, fresh air is abundant.
The downtown area is perfect for leisurely strolls. While retiring in Asheville towns is financially reasonable, rents are high within the city limits. With no new roads to accommodate them, downtown traffic and parking become challenging. Congested areas include:.
The middle class barely exists in Asheville. There are wealthy people and those living on day-to-day paychecks. In recent years, the cost of living in Asheville has skyrocketed, particularly in tourist rental house areas and direct oceanfront properties. On Sundays, you have to wait until the afternoon. Asheville is a great place to retire, with many locations to choose from, so we narrowed down the list.
Asheville — which has a community-wide love for the arts plus a walkable downtown with shops, galleries and good eats — ranks among one of the best places to live in the U. From national favorites like the Biltmore Estate and the Blue Ridge Parkway to off-the-beaten-path spots waiting to be discovered, there is something for everyone in this eclectic city. Locals love to cool down by floating in the rivers during the summers.
Pisgah National Forest has an all-natural, foot waterslide that empties into a pool of water. Residents of Asheville have access to a variety of coworking spaces, cool coffee shops and libraries to boot. But what sets the city apart as a haven for remote workers are the ample networking opportunities available for professionals.
Oenophiles who are also bibliophiles will feel right at home at Battery Park Book Exchange , which has a champagne bar inside the store. You can drive the parkway or get out and hike or bike along the many trails. Hike to a new waterfall every month.
There are hundreds of gorgeous cascades near Asheville, including many along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rye Knot is a brewery and distillery that makes for a perfect post-work gathering space.
You can even take home a cut of meat from the curing cabinet and make a tasty steak at home. Asheville has a little bit of quirk, too. A drum circle sets the soundtrack for Friday nights downtown. A love for the arts, plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure, and an amazing food and drink scene make Asheville a best place to live in North Carolina.
The value of Asheville, NC real estate is a reflection of the natural splendor that surrounds it. With the right real estate agent , anyone can find the perfect property in Asheville thanks to accessibility of the Asheville real estate, which is priced just a bit above nationwide averages. For downtown excitement, check out homes in the River Arts District just west of the city center.
15 HONEST Pros & Cons of Living in Asheville, North Carolina.7 Reasons to Consider Living in Asheville | The Cliffs
They found us what we needed, in the time that we needed it. Where should you consider living in Asheville? Is Asheville, NC a good place to live, or should you look outside of the city? Here, we talk in-depth about living in Asheville the city proper. A few Asheville neighborhoods are within walking distance of shops and restaurants. Others, you will need a car. We have historic homes, fixer-uppers, new builds, condos, and everything in between.
As for the Asheville suburbs, Fletcher, Fairview, and Arden have great houses for slightly less. The ones we toured tended to be more up-to-date, and you got more bang for your buck. You may also want to look at gorgeous Black Mountain , quiet Weaverville , or Brevard. Read more about the best towns and cities surrounding Asheville. Hendersonville is equally famous for its breweries , apple orchards , and wineries. If you are thinking about retiring in Asheville, Hendersonville is a great place to check out.
Traffic on I — which is always under construction — can be a nightmare. According to the U. People are asking a lot for their non-updated homes and getting asking price or over because of the demand. When people complain about how pricey it is in Asheville, I think about my CT nonprofit salary, renting, and taxes. Plus, it depends if you have an established job. We prefer to know our budget and look around. While Asheville has public transportation — a bus system — most people get around by car.
Most of America is like this, though. Some of the streets are incredibly tiny with thin lanes, the parking spots are impossibly small, and those hills get us. The potholes are for real. We will get trolled for that truth bomb. Add in a parking lot, and drivers love to speed and weave. Plus, the tourists do some wild maneuvers in the fall over those dang leaves and when they are lost.
You will use your parking emergency brake in Asheville. Hills are plentiful. In the winter, snow and ice make twisty roads difficult to navigate. When you head downtown, you will have to pay for parking, whether in a pay lot, at a meter, or in a parking garage. Parking is fairly priced, though. In tourist season and on weekends, spots fill up quickly, but usually, we find something without having too much road rage.
You just need to know where to go and where not to go. Asheville, NC is a great place to live if you are looking for all four seasons with moderate weather. The milder climate largely factored into us moving to Asheville. On the downside, Asheville grows extremely foggy. Our mornings are much darker. Some winters, we see snow flurries as early as October — they are beautiful. Our cats were mesmerized by their first snow. Occasionally, you will see more snow, especially in the higher elevations.
In , we had a rare white Christmas. In , Asheville saw about 9 inches of snow in one evening. It took the city a while to clear roads, and establishments stayed closed or delayed for days. It also grows frosty and icy in the winter.
While we have had a few nights drop into the 20s, the 30s to 50s are our usual Asheville winter weather. Nothing beats Christmas in the mountains. The spring and fall in Asheville are pretty mild. Compared to Florida, it still rains here a lot. We feel the gloom of less sun. For Asheville, NC living, autumn is by far the best season.
The fall in the mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway compete with the glow of our New England home. Our Asheville fall bucket list is filled with hiking, orchards, pumpkin picking, and seasonal drinks. The season is filled with outdoor festivals. Living in Asheville, NC means that we are never bored. You can always check out our main page with things to do, including waterfalls, hikes, and shopping. We enjoy Shakespeare in the Park, all of the parks and gardens , delicious wine bars , historic sites and museums, and breathtaking rooftop bars.
When not visiting Biltmore House, we go for their great exhibitions. Not to mention the miles of trails, Biltmore Winery, and dining. Biltmore also hosts concerts and seasonal events. Of course, we eat out a lot and love hitting up the boozy scene.
Yes, there are breweries, dive bars, and places to sip craft cocktails like the Grove Park Inn and Cultivated Cocktails. You have Sierra Nevada and New Belgium as bigger names. Many breweries have live music on the weekends. We love the Blue Ridge Parkway and all of its picnic spots and mixed-level hiking trails. Basically, we sum up our Asheville living as hike, eat, drink, repeat. We try hard to maintain an Asheville Events Calendar — but there is so much.
The regional airport is great, but we are used to MCO and direct international flights to Dubai, Reykjavik, and Dublin. We travel a lot so AVL adds time and layovers. A plus: Allegiant is one of the major domestic airlines that flies out of AVL and is a low fare carrier. Newark is also one of our newer international options, but you have to fly there first. We have friends that drive to Atlanta too. I always seems to be under construction.
Sometimes traffic can be horrific. There are a ton of trucks at the craziest hours of the day. We love that visitors add a vibe to Asheville and put money into the city. We both work in the travel industry — we cannot complain. But, tourism does clog up the highways and cause swarms downtown. The BRP in the fall is sheer chaos on weekends. As with many cities, with everyone moving to Asheville, many areas have been seeing gentrification for years. While gentrification leads to increased property rates, commercial development, and improved economic opportunity for some, this also harms another part of the population.
Older residents looking for new homes in the city might not be able to afford another house. There is also a rise in homelessness and crime. Generally, reports say that yes, Asheville is a safe place to live. You can peruse all of the independent sites online that gather Asheville crime data. CrimeGrade is one example.
We also follow the Asheville Police Department on Facebook for local and recent information. The city struggles with drugs, panhandling, and violent and property crimes, which have increased over the last few years. There is a lot of tourism traffic that you will need to manage. The hospitality in the city makes everyone feel like a local, which is one of the best attributes of living here.
It can be a challenge to get a table at your favorite restaurant or get into the mountains to enjoy a quiet trail at those times. Housing costs in Asheville are higher than the rest of the United States. You can save some money when living in Asheville thanks to the lower cost of groceries and utilities. What you will find as a homeowner provides a different story. On a scale of , with that number being the median housing cost in the United States, this city ranks at This issue impacts rental costs as well.
That figure includes all apartments, so there are some places that are significantly higher. It is the most expensive rental market in North Carolina, so you will want to plan accordingly.
You could live in Gastonia for about half of the cost. There are only four primary industries which see significant employment success. The unemployment rate in Asheville might be competitive with the rest of the state and the country, but there are only four significant industries which provide a majority of the jobs in the community.
Health services and private education are responsible for one out of every five jobs in the city. If your career involves specialty services outside of the healthcare industry, then you might struggle to find a job if you start living here.
Asheville is a beautiful place to call home. There are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, opportunities to try new craft beers, and you have access to an excellent educational foundation. The only problem to consider is money. If you can afford to be here, then you are going to love it. You can always choose to live outside of the city, but then you lose many of the benefits of being here in the first place.
The outskirts and rural communities tend to lean conservative, whereas the city tends to favor the progressive experience. Biltmore Lake is one of the larger planned communities in the Asheville area, yet we find that many buyers we meet have never heard of it until we mention it to them.
Biltmore Lake is unique because it has a acre lake that is available to residents for swimming, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. It also has miles of trails and sidewalks, tennis courts , and a community center. New construction is still available from the developer in Biltmore Lake , as well as numerous resales. Another unique characteristic of Biltmore Lake is that the neighborhood is not gated, which is unusual for a neighborhood with so many amenities.
There are gated sections within the neighborhood, but the bulk of the community is not gated. Biltmore Lake is one of those neighborhoods that remind of us our childhood — where kids can be outside with lots of other neighborhood kids and not come home until dark.
The Cliffs at Walnut Cove is a very exclusive gated development in Arden, on the south side of Asheville. Part of the renowned Cliffs Communities family of high-end subdivisions, Walnut Cove is the only such neighborhood in Buncombe County. Amenities here include a world-class wellness center, tennis courts, miles of hiking trails, and a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course. Southcliff has become a very popular community due to its long list of things to do and its proximity to Asheville.
This neighborhood is designed to help its residents take advantage of the outdoors. Homes in Southcliff are built in the craftsman style, and there is a wide variety of price ranges, with homes typically available for sale starting around half a million dollars up to well over 1 million.
There are also vacant lots for sale, including wooded private parcels and large estate lots with long-distance mountain views. This is one of the least congested routes into Asheville. Downtown Asheville is the place to go for shopping, dining, and live music, and many buyers love the idea of owning a condo in downtown Asheville so they can access these things all the time. Here are some great neighborhoods for buyers that want to be close but not too close to downtown.
Chicken Hill is a relatively small neighborhood conveniently located between Downtown Asheville and the River Arts District. Situated on a hillside above the French Broad River, residents here can easily walk to restaurants, art galleries, and breweries nearby.
Homes in Chicken Hill are usually very old or very new, with very little in-between. In fact, we ran a search in MLS of all the homes that have ever been listed in the neighborhood. All were built prior to or after ! Many of the newer homes have modern architecture, including butterfly or shed roofs. Similar to Biltmore Lake , Beaver Lake offers fishing, non-motorized boating, and a jogging trail around the lake.
One of the oldest and largest communities within the Asheville city limits, Kenilworth offers an incredible variety of homes for sale. Choose from older homes that have been or could be renovated, new spec homes, and even multi-family properties.
Case in point: a friend of mine owns a tri-plex in Kenilworth where he and his family lived in the largest unit for nearly 15 years. The 2 other apartments were rented to nurses who each stayed for over a decade! Talk about steady cash flow! For real estate buyers looking for a downtown feel but on a smaller scale, Western North Carolina is full of quaint, small-town options. Here are some of our favorites in the Asheville area.
Outdoorsy Activity: Plunge down an all-natural, foot waterslide into a cool pool of water. Remote Work Perk: When you want to go into an office, Asheville has plenty of coworking spaces. The Flatiron Writers Room has coworking space, screenplay and writing books, and member-organized open mics for creative types. Find a Home in Asheville, NC Movoto by OJO is a home search site that provides personalized recommendations and highlights local listings best suited to your needs and preferences.
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Moving to Asheville? Here Are 10 Things to Know | Extra Space Storage
Nestled between the Appalachian and Blue Ridge mountains, Asheville is best known for outdoor recreation, hospitality, artsy residents and a robust music scene. The charming city offers the perks of a big city tons of restaurants, breweries, music venues, etc while maintaining a coveted small-town feel.
Curious about daily life in this charming place, I was asked to share my personal list of the pros and cons of living in Asheville, based on first hand experience. While reading this, keep in mind that this is my personal list, not everyone will feel the same way about living in Asheville. Note: This post is part of the Local Living Series , wherein locals share honest insights of living in a specific city through comprehensive pros and cons lists.
Do you love adventure? If so, then you will love living in Asheville because the access to nature and plethora of outdoor recreational is hard to beat. This mountain town is surrounded on all sides by the breathtaking Appalachian and Blue Ridge mountains and the hiking opportunities are endless — not to mention the biking and fishing options, too. One of my favorite things about living in Asheville is the mild weather. But for now, the temperatures are blissful.
Downtown Asheville is peppered with talented street-performers on practically every block. Did you know that Asheville consistently ranks as one of the top brewery cities in America?
So imagine my surprise when I learned that the metropolitan area is home to 30 breweries — the second most breweries per capita in the country. The south is known for hospitality, and North Carolina is no exception. However, after adjusting to the difference, this is one of my personal favorite perks of living in Asheville. As mentioned earlier, living in Asheville means that you have access to amenities usually reserved for larger cities. The city was planned in a way that makes it easy to get to everything you need without much hassle.
When most folks think of foodie cities, I doubt this city comes to mind but let me tell you, the food scene is one of the biggest perks of living in Asheville! Asheville residents take great pride in local and seasonal cuisine. The city is home to incredible restaurants that offer everything from cheap eats to memorable celebration meals. Another thing worth mention is that the brunch scene is alive and well in Asheville. Asheville has a very relaxed vibe because people are seldom in a hurry.
This mix of fun personalities creates a very intriguing yet relaxed vibe. In fact, if you plan on moving to Asheville, I suggest strolling downtown during a Friday evening to experience the drum circle. The drum circle is an organized event where folks bang drums while others sway with the music. One of my favorite ways to spend a relaxing weekend afternoon is by visiting a winery. The wineries near Asheville are nothing to scoff at either!
I often find myself impressed by plethora of options and delightful blends. Fun Fact: The Biltmore is the largest house in America, a tour is very much in order. Like most folks, I assumed that buying a home in the south would be affordable, especially compared to the west.
Boy was I wrong. For reasons unbeknownst to me, the price of housing in Asheville is steadily rising and is not necessarily affordable when considering the average annual salaries. Thankfully, I landed a remote gig that afforded me an opportunity to move to Asheville without compromising pay, and I plan to enjoy living in Asheville until the opportunity ceases.
However, if you plan to apply for jobs within Asheville brace yourself for disappointment. Of course, the fact that we have an airport is a luxury not lost on me. But I travel often for work and having to rely on the Asheville Regional Airport is one of the biggest cons of living in Asheville. During my first visit, before I committed to moving to Asheville, I found myself surprised by the homeless population in the city. And yes, I know that homelessness is not unique to Asheville. As with most wonderful cities, the secret it out.
As you can imagine, not everyone is thrilled with new folks moving in because it drives up the price of housing and increases traffic congestion. The good news is that Asheville offers public transportation, the bad news is that it leaves a lot to be desired. All told, using public transportation while living in Asheville usually doubles travel time.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or if anything should be added to the post! Great list. I would add: dedication to maintaining classic architecture.
Many buildings have been carefully rehabbed and repurchased, such as the Grove Arcade. Thank you for sharing. Can you comment on the change of seasons? Is there a traditional 4 season turnover, or is it different than what you would get in the Midwest? What is the estimated cost of living for retirees if they rent or buy? What are tax benefits for retirees? And there have been 4 homicides so far this year I to am looking at Asheville to retire. Would I be happy living there?
If drunk crowds, rude traffic, and people with a self sense of entitlement bother you.. I love this area. Very vibrant tailgate markets, can literally get all you need at markets. Small town feel with progressive attitudes asheville is very liberal, but go 20 minutes out in any direction and its very conservative. Rent has gone up insanely post covid, and now that is creeping into surrounding counties. Asheville is a huge tourist destination, so that leads to constant conflict between residents and city council — too many hotels vs not enough affordable housing, hiding crime rates as to not scare tourists, criminalizing those that are homeless instead of not realizing the rich tourist mentality is helping cause it.
That being said, it is a fun city, close enough to other big cities for quick road trips, I feel safe walking downtown at night, you can be yourself in Asheville. I hope so as I am moving there next month.
I will be renting an apartment and they are pricey. Are you thinking about moving to Asheville, North Carolina? Comments Asheville.. We have summer and we have winter and we no longer have anything in between. What do you think? Cancel reply.
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