Learn why we love living in Asheville, NC. Have all of your questions answered about things to do, the best Asheville neighborhoods, WNC weather, and the pros and cons of moving to Asheville.
We moved to Asheville, North Carolina in 2019 and have never regretted that decision. It’s also no secret that we moved to Asheville on a whim.
With our long weekend plans to Puerto Rico thwarted, we needed a backup plan. Why not visit Asheville? We both had never been but heard wonderful things.
What started as a whirlwind 3-day tour turned into the start of our move to Asheville in under two months. Who knew? NOT US!
So, what pushed us over the edge to consider moving to Asheville? For one, we were New Englanders living in Florida, and Florida was just not for us. Florida is hot, humid, and lacking in the culture we crave. We had lived in Central Florida for over 8 years. It was time for a change.
Two, we could both easily work in Asheville based on our jobs, and three, those gorgeous mountains.
Not to mention that we loved the foodie scene, endless hiking, BEER, and mild seasons, including a vibrant fall.
Don’t miss All That You Can Do In Asheville Here.
Now that we’ve bought a house and have been living in Asheville for quite some time, I receive a ton of emails asking us what it is like living in Asheville, NC.
Why move to North Carolina? What are the best neighborhoods? What do we do for fun? Is Asheville expensive? What is the political climate like? Most importantly, what are the pros and cons of living in Asheville? Ultimately, is Asheville a good place to live?
After answering these questions individually over and over again, I figure it’s time for a post. Below find out why we love living in Asheville, NC along with our recommendations, advice, and personal experience.
We’ll hopefully make your decision about moving to Asheville a little easier and more informed. Let’s get started!
Don’t miss Where To Stay In Asheville While Visiting.
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The Down Low On Living In Asheville, NC
Below are some of the most pressing questions that I receive in my inbox each week about living in and moving to Asheville.
Please keep in mind that these are just our opinions and experiences. Yours may not be the same.
We also do not have children and chose to buy a house before moving here. We flew up one weekend alone just to house hunt with an Asheville-based realtor. Our jobs remained the same with the relocation.
Why Move To Asheville, NC?
We have always lived around the United States and elsewhere due to the nature of our jobs. For me, I’ve lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Indonesia, Florida, and now North Carolina. My husband can add Virginia and New York.
I’m not going to lie: I love living in Asheville, NC, and of course, I enjoyed CT — where I was born and raised. I am a sucker for seasons, outdoor sports, and a mix of city and country life.
So why would anyone move to Asheville, North Carolina, like us and others? Based on the emails I’ve received, people love the appeal of the mild climate, great outdoors, and hip and growing city.
There are craft breweries on every corner. If you have food preferences or intolerances, the delicious Asheville restaurants will easily cater to you without rolling their eyes or messing up your order. I’m not sure we’ll ever eat at all of the cafes and restaurants.
Asheville welcomes everyone. There is a vibrant LGBT+ community. Black Lives Matter murals covered the downtown buildings during peaceful protests.
The city is filled with beautiful street art and history. Our neighbors are both young and old.
Don’t get me wrong: you will run into a grumpy local here and there or see a Confederate flag on your way to Ingles. This is rarer in Asheville than in Florida.
Plus, we have Biltmore Estate, an arts district, and a liberal town in a fairly red state. Keep in mind that parts of Western North Carolina are extremely conservative.
Why Live In Asheville?
Along those lines, why would anyone live in Asheville over another rocking and growing city like Nashville, Knoxville, Austin, Greenville, or Dallas?
I would advise that you visit the places you are comparing and spend as much time there as possible. Get a feel for the culture, the people, and what you personally value most.
Some places will have more traffic, fewer jobs, a higher cost of living, and different things to do for fun.
For us, we had some expected as well as oddball musts. We wanted a two-story home with a basement (Florida, remember?!).
Because I have ulcerative colitis and my husband has Celiac’s, we wanted a town that respected food intolerances; we love eating out every week. I also needed a strong GI office nearby.
After living in such a flat state filled with suffocating heat and humidity, we hoped to see light snow again — but not CT blizzard-level. We also didn’t want to drive 1 to 2-hours to get somewhere like the dentist.
We love the outdoors and craved spending our autumns and summers exploring the waterfalls and swimming holes. I won’t lie, though, I questioned if I could live 4+ hours from the beach.
Plus, we desired a city with a diverse population. We found all of this in Asheville, along with endless things to do. This sounds cheesy, but we just knew in our hearts that Asheville, NC felt right for us.
Is Everyone A Hippie? Who Lives In Asheville?
I mean, if you aren’t at Trader Joe’s battling the crowds on a Friday night, you probably voted for Trump and hate polar bears. I’m kidding. Whole Foods and The Fresh Market are right there, too, on Merrimon Ave.
But no, not everyone is an *awesome* hippie or even young, a digital nomad, a liberal, or a retiree. Truth bomb, though: For 2020-2021, U.S. News ranked Asheville as the 8th best place to retire.
We do have a lot of golf courses… Man, I am so good at making raging stereotypes today!
Asheville has quite a bit of diversity with a metro population estimated to grow to almost half a million by 2025. And yes, people both love and hate — really hate this fact — and argue fiercely about it on FB threads. The United States Census Bureau also reported that the median age in Asheville is 39.
Plus, we have the University of North Carolina Asheville — a liberal arts college — responsible for about 3,600 young adults. We early voted on this beautiful campus in 2020. And yes, North Carolina has early voting. We are a state to watch during elections.
Throughout the year, you will find a growing tourist population and snowbirds. Does this get to be a bit much? You bet.
But, tourists help the local businesses thrive — myself and this site included. Locals know the off-seasons and adjust accordingly.
You can read more Asheville, NC demographic information from the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Census.
Are The Locals Friendly?
Which always brings me to the uncomfortable question: Are the locals friendly toward newbies living in Asheville, NC? Do they want us there? Is there visible tension?
Lately, my inbox is flooded with specific questions about Californians and Floridians moving to Asheville, NC — there are a ton of us in my well-established, older neighborhood. P.S. Technically, Tom and I are what North Carolinians call ‘halfbacks’ since we lived in New England and Florida first.
I had always heard that locals resented the influx of people moving in, the overdevelopment, and, rightfully so, the increased traffic. There will always be heated debates over housing and congestion. Fall foliage tourist season is also…crazy.
We have never met anyone face-to-face that has expressed any concern for having us here. Luckily, new friends embraced us with open arms and tons of booze — transplants and locals, alike. Asheville is full of transplants, and we made friends here easily.
We purchased a home in an established neighborhood — a ’90s home that needs major updating (popcorn ceilings, GAH). We work, eat, and spend our time and money in Asheville, giving back to local businesses and the economy.
The only time I ever had someone say anything negative to us was on my other site, The Uncorked Librarian. I have one Asheville post up there.
Melissa told us to “go back where we came from” (um, do you mean my family’s homeland of Italy?) and that she didn’t want people “like us” here. Good lord. This was also between 2016-2020…
But, don’t forget that it’s super easy to hide behind a keyboard and an anonymous “f*[email protected]*ck.com email address (not kidding) to troll and be ridiculously and unproductively mean.
Many appreciate the tourism that allows the businesses to grow while having such an eclectic and even international gaggle of residents.
Yes, like anywhere, places get crowded. This comes positives, too. It’s a cliched double-edged sword. The city wouldn’t be what it is today without so many people moving to Asheville.
What Is The Real Estate Market Like In Asheville?
When we first thought about living in Asheville, NC, we had no idea where we should look. Due to work, we only had one weekend to figure it out. Let me tell you, the real estate market in Asheville is hot. Homes go quickly.
In fact, we were touring a home when another realtor started yelling at ours because she jumped our time slot to put in an offer on the house for her clients. We didn’t want the house, but I had never seen anything quite like it.
I’ve heard that it’s no different in 2021, and 2022 will be just as competitive.
Our realtor warned us that we only had a few days to make buying decisions, and she was right: houses we toured that weekend were off of the market by Monday morning.
We had 4 amazing houses that we loved out of the 15+ we looked at. Luckily, we got our first choice — sans bidding war — and for a price that was fair…for Asheville. Overall, we had a lot of options with little stress.
Please also remember that we don’t have kids — school districts didn’t matter to us — and we never considered renting. I have FOUR CATS. Plus, we owned a home in Florida and had a lot of stuff.
How Do You Choose An Asheville Realtor?
I will say that choosing a realtor in Asheville is tough. Some are pushy and clearly out for their bottom line.
Even because of this post, many have reached out and asked to ‘work together.’ Sounds nice until they aggressively harass you.
We liked our realtor — who found us what we needed in the time that we needed it. If you drop me a message, I’ll be more than happy to recommend them.
What Are The Best Neighborhoods To Live In Or Look At In Asheville?
Where should you consider living in Asheville? These are the best neighborhoods directly in Asheville.
We looked at downtown Asheville, Fletcher, Arden, Weaverville, Black Mountain, North, West & East Asheville, and Biltmore Forest & Village along with a few other obscure neighboring towns.
We did not look at the Montford or Grove Park area because I have a feeling our budget was lower than those gorgeous beasts. You can find 1 to 2 million+ houses in Asheville. We have historic homes, too.
As for the suburbs, Fletcher and Arden have great houses for slightly less — the ones we saw tended to be more up-to-date — and you got more for your buck. Those towns are under a 15-minute drive into the downtown area.
Hendersonville, which we love, is a great option too, but it’s about 45-minutes away from parts of Asheville with the costs and crowds slowing increasing.
If you work in downtown Asheville, the commute will suck. Traffic has been hideous out that way lately. I-26 is always under construction.
We ended up close to downtown, which meant that we paid for it. We snagged a beautiful house that needs hellll…I mean, love.
Our HVAC and water heater both blew our first month here. The roof quickly followed. Anyone want to fix our double decks?
Check out these Top Neighborhoods In Asheville with their pros and cons.
Is Living In Asheville, NC Expensive?
According to the U.S. Census from 2014-2018, the median house costs $242,500. Mmmm, I think that’s changed a lot in the past two years… People are asking a lot for their non-updated houses and getting it.
The Census also pegged the median income around $48,000 — I cannot attest to this one; our salaries are independent of location.
We know people who rent both houses and apartments. It’s doable, and it’s not CT. When people complain about how pricey it is here, I think about my CT nonprofit salary, renting there, and TAXES…
Plus, it depends if you have a job already. Some people move here in the blind: no home, no work, no clue… That’s cool, too. We prefer to know our budget and look around.
If you don’t have these luxuries of already having work lined up or the chance to find housing beforehand, you can still find a mix with an open mind.
How Do You Get Around In Asheville?
While Asheville has some form of public transportation — a bus system — most people get around by car. If you live and work outside of the city, I’d say it’s fairly essential that you have a car. Most of America is like this, though.
We always half-heartedly joke that the older city structure is not prepared for our big SUVs. Some of the streets are super tiny with thin lanes, the parking spots are impossibly small, and those hills get me. The potholes are for real.
People drive pretty terribly here too — it’s not MA, but it’s close. I 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.
Note that within my first two weeks of living in Asheville, NC, my car had been scraped from other’s doors and bumpers. It’s become a fact of life.
I will also add that when you head downtown, you will end up paying for parking in a lot, at a meter, or in a parking garage. They are fairly priced.
In tourist season and on weekends, spots fill up, but usually, we find something without having too much road rage. You just need to learn where to go and where not to go.
What Is The Weather In Asheville and North Carolina Like? How Are The Seasons?
We love the weather in Asheville. We’ve seen all four seasons and find the AVL and Western North Carolina weather to be pretty mild. I am not going to go all Weather Channel stats on you because that is boring.
I will say that unlike other places we’ve lived, Asheville gets extremely foggy. Our mornings are much darker. It’s the mountains.
Some winters, we see snow flurries as early as October — they are beautiful. Our cats were mesmerized by their first snow, ever.
We usually don’t have snow stick for more than a few hours but it can. Occasionally, you will see more snow, especially in the mountains. In 2020, we had a rare white Christmas. Schools and roads will close.
It also gets icy in the winter, and while we have had a few nights drop into the 20s, the 30s to 50s are our usual Asheville winter weather. Parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway will shutdown.
The spring and fall are pretty mild. Compared to Florida, it still rains here a lot. We feel the gloom of less sun. The fall in the mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway compete with our New England home. STUNNING.
Summer may hit the high 90s, but again, it’s not Florida. For us, the North Carolina weather is a mix of New England meets Florida. Sign me up.
What Can You Do For Fun In Asheville?
Gosh, what can’t you do in the city of everything? Living in Asheville, NC means that we are NEVER bored. Don’t miss our main page with things to do, including waterfalls, hikes, and shopping→
Also be sure to check out this post:
We are annual passholders to Biltmore. When not visiting the house, we go for their great exhibitions — they just showcased Downton Abbey period clothing — the 22-miles of trails, 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, wine bars, 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, too. Many breweries have live music on the weekends.
Read more: Asheville’s Wineries | Best Breweries | Delicious Distilleries | Favorite Restaurants
Hiking in the gorgeous mountains is a must, and DuPont State Forest — home to The Hunger Games waterfalls — is nearby. We love the Blue Ridge Parkway and all of its picnic and mixed-level hiking grounds.
We head to The North Carolina Arboretum every winter for their Winter Lights Festival. Plus, Asheville has a ton of parks and gardens in the city.
The River Arts District is home to local art shops, urban street art, breweries, and a winery.
You can drive to Hendersonville for their three big wineries and amazing downtown. We still need to explore all of our neighboring towns.
For our Asheville fall bucket list, we love picking apples, eating cider donuts, and getting lost in a bamboo forest.
Basically, I sum up our experience as hike, eat, drink, repeat.
Read More: Top Hiking Trails | Stunning Waterfalls | Picnic Spots To Love | Mountain Biking
What Are The Pros and Cons Of Living In Asheville, NC?
What Are The Cons of Living In Asheville?
The Airport
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. Delta, American, and United are the legacies that fly out of AVL, too.
You can drive to Charlotte, but you’ll still find yourself with an extra leg — and sometimes it’s cheaper to fly out of AVL. Newark is also one of our newer international options, but you have to fly there first. We have friends that drive to Atlanta, too.
The Traffic & Congestion
I-26 always seems to be under construction. Sometimes traffic can be horrific. There are a ton of trucks at the craziest hours of the day.
During rush hours and prime times, the roads get congested and parking can be harder.
Tourist Season
We love that tourists add a vibe to Asheville and put money into the city. But, they do clog up and swarm the downtown, too.
Overall, we just know to make reservations in advance, go out on ‘off’ nights or times, and avoid certain areas at particular times. The Grove Park Inn in December is like Disney on Christmas Day. The BRP in the fall is sheer chaos on weekends.
What Are The Pros of Living In Asheville, NC?
Culture
We just love the culture and diversity in Asheville. You can enjoy the art museum, learn about the history of Biltmore, and eat and drink locally. The community is educated, active, and engaged. We have fabulous local bookstores and libraries.
Things To Do
As mentioned above, there are tons of things to do in Asheville for everyone. I barely scraped the surface. Find hiking, live music, art, educational lectures, food, theater…you name it!
We’ve also traveled over to TN for day and weekend trips to places like Clarksville (5.5 hrs), Nashville (4.5 hrs), Dollywood (2 hrs), and Knoxville (2 hrs). We’ve been meaning to get out to the beach to see places like Hilton Head and revisit Charleston, too.
The Mountains
Lastly, we love living in Asheville for those stunning mountain sunsets. George Vanderbilt built his retreat here and put Asheville on the map because he thought the mountains were healing and peaceful. He was so right.
If you are visiting AVL to scope out Asheville living, here are a few of our hotel recommendations:
Aloft – Downtown Asheville – Located in the heart of downtown Asheville, the Aloft hotel is newly renovated — as of 2020. Vibrant local murals, updated rooms, and sprawling public areas greet visitors. Did I mention their rooftop pool overlooking the mountains? As community members, we work with Aloft for both of our websites.
Hampton Inn And Suites Asheville Biltmore Area – Although this hotel is on busy Brevard Road – NC-191 – across from the Asheville Outlets, it’s one of our favorites before living in Asheville. Clean, updated, and in the middle of everything, you can access downtown, Biltmore, and the Blue Ridge Parkway fairly quickly. Plus, you can grab a quick breakfast with tons of food options nearby, especially if you want a hiking lunch for the road. We are obsessed with grinders at the nearby Apollo Flame Bistro. It’s a dive, but it’s our dive.
1898 Waverly Inn Bed and Breakfast — While house hunting, we stayed at this sweet B&B in Hendersonville, NC (35-40 mins from Asheville closer to DuPont State Forest). We loved their social happy hour and friendly hosts. Say hi to Mike for us! You can walk into downtown Hendersonville, and don’t miss Umi Sushi. Hendersonville is its own hip little town.
Omni Grove Park Inn – Did you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald stayed at the Omni Grove Park Inn? We love the Grove Park Inn for its delicious restaurants, events, and out-of-this-world sunsets.
The Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate or The Inn On Biltmore Estate – For real Asheville, NC living, don’t miss a stay at Biltmore to see how the Vanderbilts wined and dined. Biltmore is America’s largest home filled with history, gardens, restaurants, and hiking trails.
See our Top Places To Stay in Asheville.
Don’t miss out on these Asheville properties on Booking.com, too→
What Did We Miss About Moving & Living In Asheville, NC?
I love living in Asheville–and I say this often. Moving here was the perfect choice for our family.
Do you have any more questions about what it is like living in Asheville or North Carolina? Did we miss anything that you want to know? We still need to explore more of NC, for sure.
We have also tried our best to answer the questions we get from readers, and I hope these FAQs help you evaluate your moving and living options. You may have a completely different experience living in Asheville, but we wanted to share ours to help guide you.
This post originally published on February 18, 2020 and has been updated for 2021.
Where Should You Head Next?
If you are planning a quick trip, check out this short Asheville itinerary.
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This is such a great post! Obviously we loved Asheville when we were there – we always considered moving to the Blue Ridge mountains. Originally we were looking at northern VA and Asheville. We have family in Nellysford and you’d love it. So many wineries tucked into the mountains. I so agree with what you say about coming from the Northeast. We hear similar notions about Dallas getting expensive but compared to NY and having no state income tax, we’re saving much more. Hubby’s salary is pretty standard Nationwide though since everyone works for a CA based tech company anyway! Glad you guys are still Loving it!!
Tom used to live in VA–but only for a short time. He liked it while there, and my dad sometimes talks about retiring in VA, NC, or FL. We hope they come to Asheville, of course.
Wineries tucked into the mountains sound amazing!! We cannot wait to get out to Dallas (and Austin) sometime soon. Those were also cities we debated looking at for our move. Asheville stole us first.
In Florida, there was no state income tax, which was great. I think people expect FL to be super cheap–but what they fail to see is that it’s a big (wealthy) retiree population moving down south. A Florida salary, for many, barely covers the cost of living (you know my laughable library salary)–and the older crowd drives up prices even more. With a northern (experienced) salary and 401k, yup, it’s cheap since you barely pay in taxes (plus, they never registered their cars and stuff with FL).
We saw the Asheville housing market as being slightly more in certain areas, but for in-city property and a much bigger house, I don’t think it was wildly expensive compared to anywhere else these days. And in CT, omg the taxes plus everything else…yea, you might make a tad more to help offset but again, it all equals out. Of course, this seems like this might change in the next 5 years with our predicted population boom. St. Pete, Florida was like: an influx of people that did drive up housing super high and pretty fast. It just depends. Nashville seems to have gone wild fast, too, but they also have a booming music industry.
Yes, we are super happy with our choice! I hope you are too.
This is such a fantastic post!!! I’ve admittedly been jealous of your “let’s-up-and-move” decision since you announced it; it’s so exciting to do that and experience something new!! And to have the balls to do it, which I don’t think I do, hahaha. I’m adverse to change, and the idea of leaving what I know on a permanent basis fills me with a sense of dread.
That said…life is tough lately. I live in the NYC/NJ area, where traffic is horrendous, work schedules are demanding, the work/life balance is non-existent, and everything costs a bloody arm and a leg. I love the little house my husband and I have in NJ, but if I want to ever quit my job in the city to avoid the commute, I’ll earn about half what I make now…and that makes paying the large mortgage on my little house impossible. So, we’ve been toying with the idea of up-and-leaving, too, to somewhere more affordable and with a better cost of living. But. we don’t know where to go, haha.
I’ve been wondering about Asheville since you first mentioned it, so this post was PERFECT for me to read! Asheville sounds amazing; I’m with you on the mountain views, having all four seasons in a milder form, and enjoying lots of food, culture, things to do, etc. I also love that there seems to be more of a work/life balance and encouragement to get out into nature…something that my husband and I want to embrace but rarely get the chance to.
That said…Asheville doesn’t sound like the place for us. 🙁 For one, the housing is too expensive. The housing info you provide here is golden. We probably could have afforded a house in Asheville 10 years ago, but not since the prices have started going up. We’d end up paying similar to what we pay now, and that’s not what we’re after. I also have no idea what we could do for jobs, haha. My husband could probably find one down there given his industry, but I couldn’t, and it seems like we’d need two salaries to live there, even in the ‘burbs.
So, it’s back to the drawing board. But I’m so glad you posted this info!!! It really helped me out, and also made me realize all the things I should take into consideration when looking at major moves. 🙂 Thank you!!! I’m so glad you’re loving your new home and your decision to change your lives!
Also: that blue and white dress you’re wearing in a few photos is GORGEOUS on you. 😀
Haha, we sat on that choice for 8 years, and it is so hard to make. Florida just never felt right, and I was shocked when we bought a home there–but it just made more sense since in FL there is no rent control. I think, for us, we just finally hit this point of OK, ENOUGH! We were traveling SO MUCH, and I think it was truly to get away; we just weren’t happy where we were. We had a small town and the beach. Something (lots of somethings) were missing from our lives. The second we moved, we both felt like why didn’t we do this sooner?
Like you, too, the traffic was killer. My job was super stressful, and I was already making very little money to go home in tears half the time. I didn’t think I was getting the best GI care, and driving 1hr just to find a decent doctor was ridiculous. While we had good things in FL (friends, grad school, TUL), too, and I don’t regret my time there, I also wasn’t truly happy. And that whole “you make your own happiness” and can change your reactions is just garbage sometimes. Sometimes you know that something isn’t right and you need a complete change. I needed to move to make my own happiness.
Moving is so hard, though–you are right. It is emotional, stressful, and exciting. We have been laying low for the past half-year, and I think it’s because we are so exhausted from moving. We didn’t even make it home to CT last year. It was a lot–a great change, but just A LOT. You know, too: the second we moved, everything in the house blew up at once (expensive fixes and endless workmen) along with pancreatitis and the fact that our cat needed emergency surgery. We have no regrets, but it definitely comes with highs and lows at first. Tom says that besides to retire, we are never moving again. lol– but he’s not kidding.
Asheville is so perfect for us, and I am glad that we moved at just the right time, too. I think housing costs might continue to surge for a bit and then eventually stabilize and even drop. We will see–I think it depends on business here and where some of the retirees head.
Thank you so much!
Enjoyed reading your post! I love NC– lived in Charlotte for 15 yrs. My husband and I visited Boone during the fall and fell in love with the beauty of the mountains. Like you, we dropped everything and moved to NC. No regrets. Thank you for sharing your perspective on Asheville. It must be a wonderful place to live.
Thanks, Ana! We’ve been meaning to get out to Charlotte this year.
Yes, we love living in NC–every time I drive through the Smoky Mountains around sunset, I am blown away by the peace and beauty. We love the vibe in NC. I’m still amazed with the weather–full seasons that aren’t super harsh.
Thanks for stopping by, and you’ll have to share your Charlotte favs with us sometime!
As you know, hubby and I are ready mentally ready and leave Los Angeles. While I do love the West Coast for all its beauty and beautiful weather (no humidity), we are ready to be on the East Coast again. I am hoping that during our travels in the US that we end up having a similar experience like you guys did with Asheville. You just knew and made it happen. Right now, the only places I’ve ever said, “oh I can live here” require long plane rides and it’s just not practical for us or family at an older age. We shall see what happens. I do know I need someplace that is more on the warm side than cold. Hopefully, wherever I move is more welcoming than not.
Asheville does sound amazing. My sister that lives in Charlotte had only great things to say about it. Of course, I think all she did was the Biltmore. My boss was just there this past summer and he said it was a cute town with great eats.
I can’t wait to visit! And I hope this helps everyone thinking of moving to Asheville.
Yes, I know that you guys have been wanting to escape LA and are thinking about future plans, which is great! We are still thinking or at least considering retiring abroad, but Asheville should be our home until then.
…Although I always say stuff like that, and then, you just never know what life will throw your way. I still cannot believe that I lived in Florida and Indonesia…and now live in Asheville, North Carolina.
I need to get out to the West Coast–wine country is calling me.
As we get older, most of us prefer the warmer places and not shoveling, haha. Plus, island life sounds wonderful, too.
We can’t wait to see you in NC. You’d love the food and coffee…and drinks!
I loved this post! Ever since you moved there and have been posting more & more, it really makes me think about it. It seems so beautiful, plenty of great things to do, and sounds like pretty decent weather. Sounds like a dream! I want to go hiking and then head to a brewery. The food options also sound perfect for me. They probably have lots of vegetarian options.
And being around all that nature is so nice! We can’t forget about the bears! I hope they are having a good rest.
I didn’t forget about that terrible comment you got. Glad you called her out here! She does sound like a Trumpeter.
I love all your pictures here! So beautiful. This was a very comprehensive post that really tells all the ins and outs of living here. I love your detail- scraped cars. You painted the whole picture. Okay, I’m moving. First, I need to get my license again.♀️
I’ll move if you can send me a long list of books set in Asheville and NC so I can continue my literary dates there.
Aw, thank you so much!
The weather has truly been fantastic here: we get all of the seasons, but all have been super mild. This past week was the most snow that we’ve ever gotten (maybe about 2-3 inches), and it semi-stuck on the grass but not the pavement. It was so funny, though, since we are from CT and get WAY more there. Everything in Asheville shut down, ahaha. It does get slippery, though, with these mountain hills and winding roads.
Asheville is full of vegan and veggie options–probably more than most of the places that we have been to. It makes it super easy for us, too, with food intolerances and GI issues.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget that awful comment. I didn’t take it personally, but it just reminds me so much of the AWFUL rhetoric going around that is so unwelcoming and lacking of empathy to humanity (esp towards immigration/migration). Melissa was truly one miserable person.
I had SUCH a hard time picking pictures. My phone is filled with hikes, mountains, waterfalls, and beer.
Yes! The Uncorked Librarian currently has a ‘books set in NC’ book list up, and YES, I have been meaning to write one for Asheville on this site. There is this adorable kids’ series that takes place at the Biltmore that I’ve been meaning to read.
I hope you get to visit one day soon…and never leave! (not in a creepy way lol)
I am so interested in that area but I was wondering about the bugs. I want to be able to sit outside without fighting mosquitos. Are they a problem there?
I think it depends where you live, but we definitely see them at sunset.
We live in Portland, OR, and for family reasons are considering moving back East. Asheville is a contender but we’ll miss the gorgeous Oregon summers and scenery. Is the summer rain in Asheville more on and off or does it stay socked in? (Like Portland winters.) We’d ideally like a Portland type of city but smaller with less rain in the winter. (Here it’s mud or dust!)
Also, what’s the deal with the lack of garages and driveways? Seems like many homes in town just have gravel spots out front or street parking… not even a driveway.
Hey Janet,
Our rain is more like a FL summer — on and off and unpredictable. We’ll get showers next door to us, but they won’t always reach us. We might be hiking in the sun and a random sun shower hits for 5 minutes. Usually, they aren’t too bad, but we will also see a week straight of clouds and mild rain. Plus, there is the fog.
There is a lot of gravel here. Haha. We personally have a driveway and garage. They do exist! A lot of places have gravel at the bottom (or top) of their driveways because in the winter — with the snow — you cannot get safely up or down the steep ones. We looked at houses like that, and it was a turnoff, for us. But, the views in those same houses were STUNNING. I just cannot imagine going down those hills with snow with my trash cans.
Closer to the city downtown (we do live in the city), there tend to be fewer driveways.
Thank you for such an insightful post and wonderful website. We also made the decision after spending a few days here. It just felt like the perfect fit for our values. I look forward to reading more posts.
Thank you so much for the kind comment. I really appreciate it! It’s so hard not to love Asheville.
Thank you for this helpful info! I have one question for you about living in Asheville – for some background, I’ve been there several times and I really like it! I love the beautiful mountains, the easy access to outdoor activities, craft beer, live music, the small liberal city vibe and I also have a cousin who lives there. I’m starting to consider moving there with my family, but what is your experience living in a liberal city within a red state? When you go outside of the city to hike, what are your interactions with locals? I grew up in a college town in the Pacific Northwest and now I live in an urban area in a blue state on the east coast, so I’m very concerned about living in a red state even though Asheville is a great city. Do you feel like you just have to stay close Asheville to be around like-minded people?
Hi Hollee,
I am so glad that you love Asheville, and all of the activities you mentioned above are true!
Asheville is indeed a very liberal bubble in a red state. It’s interesting because I follow a lot of the county and city pages, and sometimes the more conservative and quite frankly prejudice/racist/intolerant comments really bother and still surprise me — and act as a reminder that we are in a red state that like states all over the country battle racism, see no fault in our current President, don’t believe in wearing masks during the pandemic, disregard the pandemic completely, etc. You will still see Confederate flags in Asheville as well as all over NC. We lived in Central Florida, and it was very much the same kind of mixed vibe. You have the city blended in with rural areas with different values and traditions, as well.
With Knoxville, Nashville, and all of the other ‘villes’ nearby as well as the major cities, I think you will find a mix wherever you go in NC. We have a big retiree and I say this lovingly, ‘snowbird,’ population here in Asheville along with transplants like me, which creates diversity, too. You will also find locals that love you and locals that tell you to “go back to where you came from…” – I see this a lot as a local blogger in my inbox along with hate towards my ‘political views.’ I don’t see it so much in person, though. The Asheville economy thrives off of tourism – whether people love it or hate it.
I hope that helps. We have great friends and neighbors here with similar values and beliefs that live in Asheville all the way to TN and Kentucky.
I currently live in central Florida and was very interested in your response regarding Asheville being liberal in a red state. Are there areas outside but close to the city that you would recommend that are more affordable, but are fairly liberal and good for families?
We looked at beautiful homes in Fletcher, Hendersonville (although the farms and even a few wineries out here having been hosting republican events without masks…), and Arden that still maintain the vibes you are looking for. It’s a mix everywhere, really.
Thanks so much for this post. I’m from Texas and have my eyes on either Asheville or Raleigh, and would really love to live in Asheville but I haven’t heard good things from the locals regarding housing. I would like to rent a 2-bedroom home, and plan to move around Sept/Oct of this year. I’m single, no kids, just me and 2 dogs looking to have a new start in a place full of nature. 🙂 Any insights on renting a home in Q3/Q4 of this year? Also any ideas on the best time to move based on the tourist season? Thanks so much again for sharing your insights.
Hey Erin, I do know that cost of rentals are going up, especially in the heart of the city. I also feel like there are a lot of people moving to Asheville — and this pandemic is increasing that. When we moved here, the market was hot, too. They are tons of new developments going up. The fall is a huge tourist season with the leaves and then the holidays are incredibly busy, too. We hunker down then. January and Feb. are pretty quiet here. I hope that helps! Best of luck!
Hello,
Thank you for your thorough description. We are thinking of moving to Asheville, but have a few other questions;
Is Asheville very hippish? I
Do you get a too small town vibe?
What don’t you like about Asheville?
Thanks for your time.
Good Morning,
Thank you! Asheville feels a bit small town once you get to know it. After living here for 1.5 years, the city is fun but also a lot smaller than it looks. I feel like it’s not like Nashville but gives off Knoxville vibes.
I wouldn’t say Asheville is hippish but is more liberal and chill. However, it’s also still in the South, and what I don’t love is seeing Confederate flags in many nearby places.
Sometimes the traffic and congestion aren’t fun, especially during tourist season(s). We avoid a lot of places around the holidays and fall foliage times when Asheville is slammed with visitors. We prefer to enjoy ‘tourist’ areas more in the off-season.
I also don’t love that there is one GI office in town (I have ulcerative colitis and receive IV infusions for it). I don’t have options for that specific care elsewhere in the city. I hope that helps.
Hi there! My partner and I just discovered your posts. We have been planning a move for some time, out of the Midwest. We had landed on Dunedin, Florida. But Asheville has been a close second. Your Asheville posts have us reconsidering! We are very politically left gay parents with gender fluid kids. I was wondering if you could speak at all to Dunedin vs. Asheville in terms of how lgbtq-welcoming and populated they are– and anything else that might be helpful for us as leftists trying to choose between the two.
Hey Penelope. So, Dunedin is close to Tampa and St. Pete, which are my favorite areas in Florida. St. Pete is extremely liberal and progressive, and a fantastic city. They are lgbtq-welcoming. I cannot speak specifically to Dunedin, but we have best friends in nearby Palm Harbor, and we’ve stayed in Safety Harbor, too. Great libraries, restaurants, and breweries.
I will say that the Florida traffic in that area is fairly hideous. If you have commutes, depending on where you need to go, you could literally add in hours in the car at rush hours. During tourist season and the North’s winters, you’ll see a large influx of the seasonal retirement community, too — which ties up a lot.
We lived in North Central Florida, under Ocala, which I would say was conservative and just not for us in many ways. You’d find a lot of racism, sexism, Confederate flags, institutional corruption, etc. — not that they don’t exist everywhere, but it was a lot. It was a long 8 years in Florida, and we were there for my husband’s job.
Asheville is an extremely liberal and lgbtq-welcoming community (probably one of the most liberal in NC or at least WNC). We really love it.
BUT, you’d just have to consider that you are surrounded by more conservative areas on all sides. Asheville is a bit of a bubble.
Outside of Asheville, you will still find Trump banners hanging up after he lost the election, establishments that taunt people for wearing masks (which also happened at an AVL restaurant that refused to close during Stay A Home), and an apple orchard — for example — that held large-unmasked GOP events last fall. It’s been a struggle to get the Vance monument taken down in downtown (but it is happening, eventually, & the city voted in favor of reparations for Black residents), our police were on the National news for smashing water bottles at a first aid tent during a peaceful BLM protest, and you’ll see Confederate flags here and there. Just to give you an idea.
Don’t get me wrong, though, some of those other areas are also welcoming with a varied population of beliefs and values.
I hope that helps. You can also email me at hello [at] uncorkedasheville [dot] com, if you’d like a more private conversation. Best of luck!
Thanks so much for the information provided. My wife and I are looking to move closer to her dad, who lives in Inverness, Flordia. Though he is hoping for us to settle where he resides, we just can’t pull the plug to live in Florida. Currently, we live on the Southern Oregon Coast, 1 mile from the Pacific Ocean. It is truly wonderful living here, mild temperatures year round, light traffic and a population of around 5000 people. More conservative than liberal though. We live in the tourist part of the Oregon coast and the season gets quite congested to say the least. We have read a ton about Tennessee from Chattanooga to Hendersonville to Knoxville and finally branching out east over to lovely Asheville, NC where it seems may be the perfect fit for my wife and I to live. Added benefit being of course not living in Florida but close to her father. We absolutely love to hike, backpack, kayak (anything outdoors) and enjoy wines and good eats. We enjoy people of all religious backgrounds, diversity and especially respect for one another’s political beliefs rather liberal or conservative. My wife in an RN and I am a semi-retired elementary school teacher (though looking to get back into the classroom again full-time). How are the hospitals and schools in Asheville? To rent or not to rent is the million dollar question. As mentioned, we have a lovely home on the Oregon coast and have been discussing whether to sell it or rent it out contrasted with should we rent or buy in an area we haven’t even been to yet? My wife just returned from Florida to see her father so getting out there again soon may be a challenge for her. My schedule is flexible but I hate to fly out there without her. It looks like this may be the best option if we want to make the move soon.
Hi John! For us, personally, we decided to buy right away instead of rent — and we had only visited Asheville once. We had friends that knew the area, and we tried to look at houses in a few neighborhoods of interest.
For us, it would have been hard to rent again with our pets and all of our things since we were coming from a large home — as well as more expensive to keep moving around. Packing up and moving is probably one of my least favorite things to do.
When we first moved to Florida, we rented before purchasing our home, especially since we didn’t know Florida (and it’s huge) or how long we were staying. We were coming from another apartment, though. For Asheville, we took a chance, bought a house in a neighborhood we visited once, and it worked out.
Asheville has tons of wonderful neighborhoods — I’m working on a few new articles about this now, actually (keep your eyes on our newsletter) — and many great properties to choose from. We flew in for one weekend to house hunt, saw so many houses, and left with an offer on one — and many backups.
Our big hospital is Mission Hospital. It has decent ratings, and thankfully, I have not visited it yet. For me, there is only one GI office in town — so that’s not amazing for options — but they do all of the main things that I need (I have severe ulcerative colitis). We do feel like we have better healthcare here than in Central Florida. That’s just my personal opinion, though. Our eye doctor and dentist have been wonderful. I love my primary care physician, too.
We don’t have children, but our friends here are happy with the school systems, overall. The library system also seems to receive decent funding, and it’s pretty great — which I use to judge an area, too. UNC-Asheville is right here, which adds to the community.
Hendersonville is about 40-45 minutes from Asheville. It’s a fantastic city. We spent a weekend pre-pandemic in Knoxville, TN and loved it. I have a friend there if you ever have questions.
I hope that helps get you started! Congrats on considering the move to Asheville, NC. You can also find many properties online with full virtual tours, if you cannot make it in.
Let me know if you have any more questions, too. My email is hello (at) uncorkedasheville (dot) com, if that’s easiest.
This is the most complete and informative article I’ve seen on moving to Asheville (or maybe anywhere)… thank you!!
I was 98% sold on moving to St. Pete, FL when Asheville came on my radar… my research into the area is already making me fall in love it EXCEPT that it’s not near the ocean!
I’m currently in Boston, MA and really do love it here but I’m done with the harsh winters and exorbitant cost of living.
I work remotely but would like to stay in eastern U.S. and up until my Asheville research, couldn’t imagine not living near the ocean… but starting to open up to the possibility 🙂
You mentioned that you had questioned being hours from a beach so, now that you’ve been in Asheville for a little bit, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on not living near the beach/coast and whether you miss it??
Thanks Christine!
Hey! Aw, thank you so much. I really appreciate the kind feedback. I try to constantly update this post with everyone’s questions so that it’s more helpful.
I do love St. Pete, Florida. My best friend moved there when we were in Central Florida (Central FL wasn’t for me). When we were deciding where to move to next, it was either St. Pete, Cinci, or Asheville.
Boston — I am a CT woman and Smithie. Loveeee Boston, but definitely feel you on the cost of living and snow. I miss CT, but not the taxes and being buried in all winter.
Unfortunately, the pandemic hit when we moved to Asheville. We have not been to the beach. I do miss it. I feel like if we could safely travel, and when we do, I might be OK just seeing the beach a few times a year?! The waterfalls and mountains make up for this.
St. Pete did have my favorite beach, Pass-A-Grille. For me, the St. Pete traffic was a bit much — but the culture, breweries, and beach are amazing. Plus, that warm weather. You’ll see that congestion in Asheville during tourist season, too. It’s a toss-up over beach and the weather. Asheville sees a gorgeous fall comparable to New England.
I hope that helps! Have a great week!
Hi!
I am so glad that I found this post!!
I am currently living in Cleveland, OH and have recently told my family that I am planning on moving after Christmas. No plan, no definitive place, I just know that I am ready to make a move.
I am obsessed with nature, and mountains and greenery, and need to find “my place.” I was thinking for the longest time that I wanted to go out west; NoCal, West Nevada, Oregon, Washington… but the more I thought about it, it just wouldn’t be the right move. I have a pup, and just know that when ever I came back for a visit, I wouldn’t be able to bring her with me. And that alone made up my mind. Along with the super expense of everything West, the idea of my family and friends not being able to come visit as often because of the expense of flying, and vice-versa of me coming back to visit.
So my mind went East. I have never visited Asheville before but have heard countless people speak of the wonders it holds. I booked a trip to come this month and so many people have gave me so many suggestions of what to do. From everything that I have read, and all the amazing pictures of the amazing nature, I am pretty damn set on knowing that’s where I will land.
I am a yogi, a vegetarian, love the outdoors, and exploring. I love food and breweries and a diverse city. And it sounds like Asheville offers all that.
I cannot wait to explore and hopefully feel so “at home” that this is where I choose to continue my journey!
Ame ❤️
Hi!
Thank you so much. My best friend lives in Dayton, OH. When we were considering moving, Cinci was on the list. Those winters, though…
Congrats on the decision to move! While we have traveled much of the world, I have yet to go out West, which is wild. I’d love to see wine country in CA.
We’ve always lived on the East Coast — New England, FL, and now Asheville, North Carolina. I just love the mountain ranges out here. We moved to Asheville on a whim, too, and it’s really worked out. We will be out hiking and just randomly say, “Man, I am so glad we moved here.” We just love it.
I’m a yogi, too, and we seek out vegan and veggie meals — but are not either. Asheville is perfect for food intolerances and a variety of lifestyle choices and preferences. There are a ton of food stores and restaurants that cater to all needs.
Best of luck with your decision and move! It’s always so exciting and adventurous. Thank you for the note, too. Let me know if you have any questions.
As others have already commented, thank you so much for writing such a detailed description of what it is like living in Asheville. I currently live on Treasure Island in the Tampa Bay Area and I share many of your feelings regarding Florida. I have been searching for years for the “perfect” spot for me. I recently took a trip down the Pacific coast from Seattle to Monterey. I love the west coast but Asheville is on the list too.
Thank you so much! We headed to the St. Pete, Treasure Island, and Tampa area frequently when we lived in Florida. I hope you find the perfect spot!
Thank you for the fantastic and very informative post!
I currently live in Atlanta and about to start a fully remote job so my location is now very flexible and I’m very eager to escape Atlanta’s summer. Asheville is one of the cities on my list of possibilities. Given that, how is humidity and the bugs in the summer? For me, those are the biggest deal breakers.
Thank you.
Elena
Hey Elena. Thank you! As former Floridians, we know all about that humidity. Asheville will see a few humid and oppressive summer days, but it’s usually not too bad. I also don’t think we have a lot of summer bugs. Our home sees more bees and bears than anything else. I hope that helps!