Living in Asheville, NC
Explore Things to Do, Cost of Living, Top Restaurants and More

• Livability Partner
• 2026 Top 100 Best Places to Live
• 2025 Top 100 Best Places to Live

Thinking of moving to Asheville, NC? You’ve come to the right place! You will find all the details about living here, from insight into the quality of life and cost of living to details about industry and job opportunities to lists of fun things to do.

Why You’ll Love Living in Asheville, NC

There’s so much to love about living in Asheville, NC. For starters, the city of 96,701 is resilient. After Hurricane Helene, the tight-knit community banded together and proved exactly why this stunning city is such a great place to live.

Nestled in a beautiful setting, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the city is a picture-perfect paradise. Plus, there’s a fun and funky vibe here, with eclectic shops and galleries (in a walkable downtown!), trend-setting independent restaurants, a top-notch craft beer scene, art deco architecture and festivals that celebrate anything and everything.

Did we mention the outdoors? Besides the scenic mountains, you can access the French Broad River, find breathtaking waterfalls nearby and engage in play to your heart’s content at the city’s parks and greenways. The stunning Biltmore Estate and Blue Ridge Parkway are not to be missed, a treat for residents and visitors alike. A drum circle with dogs and dancing takes place downtown on Friday nights, street performers are always ready for a photo op, and dogs dine with their humans everywhere in this city, which is definitely a part of its allure. Incredibly, there are more than 300 locally owned stores and eateries serving up an array of great finds and great food. This mountain town attracts both young professionals and retirees, with a strong job market in the education, health care, retail and hospitality sectors.

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Top Reasons to Move to Asheville

• Asheville is a world-class destination for the arts and creativity, famous for its River Arts District.
• Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains with easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest, Asheville is an outdoor lover’s paradise.
• Asheville is a foodie destination and is home to more breweries per capita than almost any other U.S. city.
• There are plenty of economic opportunities in Asheville, and the resilient, diversifying economy supports growth.

Asheville is a vibrant city in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, right along Interstate 26 and Interstate 40. Asheville Regional Airport is about 15 miles south, making travel easy. When you’re ready to explore, here’s how close you are to some major nearby cities:

• Charlotte, NC, is just 130 miles east, where you can visit the Levine Museum of the New South or the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
• Knoxville, TN, sits 115 miles west, offering the Knoxville Museum of Art and the World’s Fair Park.
• Greenville, SC, is about 60 miles south, home to Falls Park on the Reedy and the Peace Center.

Summers are warm and humid (cool down with a river float or cold pint!), and winters are cold, but they don’t last long. Spring brings pretty blooms, and the fall foliage in the Blue Ridge Mountains is a must-see.

The city has a dynamic economy with several key industries, including health care, tourism and manufacturing. Some notable employers are Mission Health System, Buncombe County Schools and The Biltmore Company. The local economy is characterized by its focus on tourism, and returning to the mountains is the best way to help the city recover. 

The cost of living in Asheville is above the national average. The median home value in Asheville is $459,972, and the average household income is $70,970.

North Carolina has a state income tax. In 2026, the combined sales tax rate in Asheville is 7.0%.

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This city is a resilient place. The community is tight-knit and has only grown closer in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastating hit on the city in the fall of 2024. People love living in Asheville, but one of the biggest industries in the area is tourism. If you’re looking to help the city recover, planning a trip to this sweet mountain town is the best way to do it. 

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The community has a cool, artsy vibe that mixes culture and outdoor fun. Downtown packs galleries, shops and live music, ranging from small shows to larger festivals, like the annual Goombay Festival. Check out spots like the Biltmore Estate, the Folk Art Center and the River Arts District, where artists open their studios. The city celebrates its unique culture with events like Hola, a festival highlighting Latin culture, and Goombay, which celebrates the African diaspora and Asheville’s African American community. The Wortham Center has everything from smaller crafts to modern pieces.

Downtown’s walkable streets buzz with excitement, and residents often see performers and drum circles. Historical spots like Thomas Wolfe’s childhood home and quirky stops like the Pinball Museum add to the city’s eclectic vibe. Outdoor enthusiasts can find tranquility through forest bathing tours, or shop until you drop at the local boutiques and vintage stores on Lexington Avenue and in Biltmore Village. 

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The local outdoor scene is basically a choose-your-own-adventure for nature lovers. Asheville is surrounded by lush mountains and forests, with the French Broad River adding to its charm. Looking for something peaceful? Walk through the Botanical Gardens at Asheville or paddle the French Broad River. Feeling adventurous? Whitewater raft the Green River or hit the Bent Creek Experimental Forest mountain biking trails. Hike Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, hit the Mountains-to-Sea Trail or drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway for those iconic views. Don’t miss Craggy Gardens’ flower power. Richmond Hill Park and the NC Arboretum add even more easily accessible trails and natural experiences. 

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You’ll never go hungry in Asheville. In fact, the city is a designated Foodtopian Society, referring to utopian experiments that use food to create a more just and equal world. The city certainly lives up to the hype. Think farm-to-table eats, where chefs turn local bounties into culinary masterpieces. Want to dig deeper? Food tours and foraging trips are a thing here. Hit up local farmers markets and the WNC Cheese Trail for regional bites.

And let’s talk drinks: the local craft beer scene is massive. Asheville holds the title for the second-highest number of breweries per capita in the country, with 17 breweries for every 50,000 people. With more than 50 breweries across town, including favorites like Asheville Brewing Company and Highland Brewing, and a killer distillery scene, you’ll never go thirsty. 

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Creativity and collaboration come alive through the city’s schools. The city is primarily served by the Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools districts, each with a favorable student-to-teacher ratio, which is desirable for families looking for more individualized attention. Local schools are also committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, creating a welcoming environment for all students.

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