Best Place To Live In North Carolina – Western North Carolina is no longer a well-kept secret. Visitors flock to this area throughout the year, and many of them come here with the intention of looking for properties to buy. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best places to live in Western North Carolina, and why they’re the best!
Western North Carolina, or “WNC,” includes the mountainous areas west of Charlotte, NC west to the Tennessee state line, north of the Virginia border, and up to south as the South Carolina state line. The largest city in Western NC is Asheville, which sits right in the middle of Buncombe County.
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The Blue Ridge Mountains covering Western NC offer a lifetime of outdoor adventures! Countless rivers and streams offer world-class whitewater for paddlers, as well as calm rivers for fishing and casual fishing.
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There are also thousands of miles of hiking and biking trails, many of which are suitable for horseback riding. At the end of some of these roads there are cliffs and scary places!
If you consider that other national forests and recreation areas in northern South Carolina, East Tennessee, and Southwest Virginia are also within a few hours’ drive, it really is more than what you can study in a lifetime!
Asheville has always been ranked as a top destination for beer drinkers, and its growing brewery is now a major contributor to the area’s operations. While Asheville has been named Beer City USA for years and is SmartAsset.com’s Top City for Beer Drinkers, many of the surrounding towns also have excellent breweries. Morganton’s Fonta Flora, Brevard’s Oskar Blues, and Fairview’s Whistle Hop are some of our favorite WNC breweries.
It’s almost impossible to write an article about Western North Carolina without talking about the weather. The seasons here are very different, and each season is very exciting.
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Spring brings abundant blooms of rhododendron and mountain laurel, as well as cool nights that match days in the 60s and 70s. Summer offers great weather for outdoor activities, with highs rarely exceeding 90 degrees. The nights can still be cool enough to warrant a light jacket while walking around town like Asheville, Black Mountain, or Brevard.
This is what Western North Carolina is known for, with some of the most spectacular fall colors anywhere in North America, and days that are warm enough for outdoor activities and dining. There may also be light snow in late fall, but it’s usually enough to remind us that winter is not far away.
Winters are mostly mild, except at high altitudes. Skiing and snowboarding opportunities abound at WNC’s ski resorts. The ski season usually runs from December to March.
The mountains of Western NC offer great hiking and biking and spectacular views! You can climb the 6,684-foot-tall Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern United States! There are countless other high peaks in the area, such as Max Patch, a wide open meadow at 4,600 feet with 360-degree views, Black Balsam on the Blue Ridge Parkway (6,214 feet) , and Grandfather Mountain. (5, 946 feet) near Linville, NC.
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With so much open land surrounding it, it’s no wonder Western NC is known for being dog-friendly. But it is not only the forests of the country that will welcome your child. Downtown areas here are very pet friendly. Most restaurants allow well-behaved dogs to accompany their owners while dining out. Stores put out water bowls and offer dog treats, and some brewpubs have outdoor areas where dogs are allowed. Dog friendly businesses are now more of a legal issue than a nuisance. Most offices have at least one dog on staff, including us!
Asheville is the true capital of Western North Carolina. It is the largest city in the region, and the cultural center. A vibrant city and central location make Asheville a great choice for those who need more of the amenities of the city but are easily accessible in the nearby forests.
Voted America’s Most Beautiful Small Town by TripAdvisor, Black Mountain is a must-see small town east of Asheville. Also known as the “Front Porch of Western North Carolina,” Black Mountain has a very walkable downtown filled with shops, restaurants, galleries, and art galleries.
Another small town outside of Asheville, Weaverville offers a walkable town with a unique feel. Smaller than Black Mountain, Weaverville is a great choice for golfers (see Reems Creek Golf Community) or those looking for a more rural feel but not too far from Asheville.
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Montreat, NC may be the most unique town on this list. Montreat is home to a college, a conference center, and the city itself, and they all share the same name. Montreat’s amazing hiking trail system is open to the public and includes the famous Mt. Mitchell Challenge, a 40-mile road race that attracts runners from all over the United States.
Located in Transylvania County about 30 minutes west of Asheville Regional Airport is the outdoor paradise of Brevard, NC. Brevard is often referred to as the “Land of Waterfalls,” as it is surrounded by Pisgah National Forest, and is home to approximately 250 waterfalls! Brevard is also home to many summer camps, and that’s one reason many families from the southeast know the area and vacation there.
Brevard is another major city and a charming town, offering many restaurants and shopping. Brevard College also brings many events to the city. There are also several breweries, including one of our new favorites, Brevard Brewing Company.
Going south into South Carolina takes you directly to Hendersonville, North Carolina. Hendersonville is a medium-sized city by Western NC standards (population 14,000 in 2017), but it offers many amenities and a great downtown location. Hendersonville is another great summer camping spot, and its proximity to Dupont State Forest makes it a great choice for outdoorsmen.
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In Haywood County (west of Asheville) is the Waynesville/Maggie Valley. These two towns are very close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making them popular summer vacation spots. Maggie Valley is more seasonal, focusing more on tourism than Waynesville. There is also the Cataloochee Ski Area, a winter favorite of locals because of its easy access, especially from Asheville. The town of Waynesville is one that is worth checking out, because we often hear people say they were pleasantly surprised by how nice it is.
Located on the banks of the French Broad River, Marshall, NC is an old town with many buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In recent years, the center has been renovated. It’s a very convenient location for people who work in Asheville and want their own community in a quieter, slower-paced city.
The largest city in Burke County, Morganton has grown in popularity over the past few years. Lake James is not far away, and there are many amenities in town like Catawba Meadows Park.
The popular town of Lake Lure is about an hour from Asheville. The movie Dirty Dancing helped put it on the map, but the great golf, hiking, and boating kept tourists and real estate buyers coming back.
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Boone is a college town (home to Appalachian State University) on the north side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. At 3,333 feet in elevation, Boone has cooler summer weather and several nearby ski resorts that make the most of the winter environment.
Located in McDowell County (west of Asheville), Marion is a growing city with affordable real estate, low elevation (1400 feet), and easy access to Lake James. If you’re looking for a lakefront property or a lakeside property, Marion should be on your list.
In 2018, home security company Safewise released a list of the safest cities in North Carolina. Several towns in Western NC made the list, including Fletcher (#3), Woodfin (#12), and Black Mountain (#20). Similar lists have been published by other websites, including this list that includes Boone, Brevard, and Morganton.
One of the reasons for the overall safety of Western NC may be the small size of the towns and cities here. As mentioned earlier, Asheville is the largest city in Western NC, and its population is only 92,000 (based on 2017 data). And since most of our towns are walkable downtown, it helps to create a sense of community.
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It’s no secret that real estate in Asheville, NC is taking off! The average price for a single-family home in the Asheville region continues to increase. And if you talk to a builder, there’s a good chance they won’t be able to start a new project for a few months. But real estate remains affordable in many rural areas of the county, including Madison, Haywood, and McDowell Counties.
Of course, there are many other cities and counties in Western North Carolina to consider. But these are some of our favorites and represent a wide mix of prices in our stores.
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