UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#4. Black Mountain, NC
Move here if you want to … simplify your life.
Black Mountain is a small town located 15 miles from Asheville in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Between the lush mountain views, quaint cottages and adorable downtown (dotted with oversized rocking chairs!), Black Mountain is so beautiful it will make your heart hurt a little. It’s also the perfect home base for people who want to slow down and embrace a simpler way of life. This is the kind of place where neighbors greet each other at the general store, fireflies light up summer evenings and bluegrass jams are a frequent occurrence.
While you’re enjoying the outdoors and learning how to make bread (with supplies from the adorable local kitchen shop that calls itself “a toy store for foodies”), rest assured you’ll still be close enough to Asheville to enjoy all the amenities of a bigger city.