Name: Asheville, NC
Rating: 0.0

( 74 Ratings )

Living in Asheville, NC

Ranks better than 72% of areas Follow

Population

92,328

Median Age

39.6 Years

Asheville Area Facts

Asheville has a Livability Score of 72_/100, which is considered excellent
Asheville crime rates are 146% higher than the North Carolina average
Cost of living in Asheville is 21% higher than the North Carolina average

What do the locals think about Asheville?

38%

Family friendly

33%

Public transit is accessible

20%

Walkable to grocery stores

22%

Yards are well-kept

58%

Lots of parks

38%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

22%

A quiet area

42%

Sense of community

Based on 55 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

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Asheville Reviews

Write a review about Asheville Tell people what you like or don't like about Asheville…

Loving Asheville’s special vibe 4 rating By Anonymous ( Apr 11, 2021) I’m a Raleigh transplant who moved here at age 58 because my son-in-law was doing his residency in family medicine at MAHEC.

We all live in West Asheville and are happy. The outdoor lifestyle, moderate temperatures, and friendliness of the neighbors are deciding factors. Ki ...Read More ds ride their bikes up and down the street and skateboard and build forts. My daughter and SIL feel it’s a fine place to bring up their daughter.

Yes, Asheville has crime. My SIL’s bike was stolen from their front porch. Cars cannot be left unlocked. You can move further down I-26 if you are afraid of this, or you can decide to act more sensibly.

Urban environments have drugs. Asheville is somewhat gritty and urban, a bit of a block or two of Brooklyn. If you like that, you’ll probably like it here, especially as you’re surrounded by beauty and adventure. But if you are thinking Asheville is Cary or Apex, you will loathe it.

Quiet suburbs bore me. Safe but too alike. Asheville keeps me interested. You need to have an honest conversation with yourself to decide what you want.

Jobs are hard to come by. Healthcare, education, and tourism support the economy. For the South, housing is way over priced. Art and creativity abound. I’m not sure how well these endeavors pay, but they’re loved.

My family and I have found our home. The many negative reviews I just read astound me. As I’m tubing down the French Broad, the wings of dragon flies glisten and tell me it’s warm and lovely.

My house was built in 1910 and my daughter’s was built in 1918. Many people would not like a house that old, with quirks and the odd spaces that don’t quite fit.

But that’s why we do like these houses. They’re a bit different and not for everyone. But for those who love them, these houses, these hills, this unique Art Deco jewel of a city, have captured our hearts. Read Less

Hippie Enclave High on Cool Factor 4 rating By Anonymous ( Dec 13, 2019) Asheville is a unique small city. It has a LOT going for it and of course, like anyplace, has drawbacks. But the pros outweigh the cons as evidenced by the mass influx of people choosing to relocate here. The superlatives of this area are: abundant hiking and mountain biking oppo ...Read More rtunities, highly walkable downtown full of non-chain, unique shops, beautiful mountain scenery, outstanding restaurant scene, thriving arts community, huge dog lover population, very liberal politcal populous (it's my review and I give that a positive nod), access to the Blue Ridge Parkway and many elements that make it a well rounded community. The drawbacks are - limited buildable/developable land creates upward pressure on housing costs. There is NO WAY AROUND THIS due to being bounded by national and state forests and protected lands. People complain incessantly about affordable housing. Supply is naturally restricted and demand is high. Simple as that = high housing costs. Also a drawback is the service economy. Retirees flock here (especially halfbacks) and they don't rely on the job market. Younger people do. If you are self employed or have ways to make money other than through corporate means you can make it here. Now, as for the drugs the other posters mentioned. Yep....Asheville is a hippie town and Asheville has homeless druggies. So does Palo Alto, CA, Charleston SC, countless Florida cities and many other US towns. Drugs are a problem EVERYWHERE. In Asheville the "wanna-be" hippies seem to congregate together and thrive on their hippie-ness drug, homeless ways. I think the reviews slamming the area for that are overblown. Go to San Francisco - another hippie melting pot. Druggies everywhere but people love SF! Just like they love Asheville. And they will continue to love Asheville b c it offers so much. The scourge of the community - drug addicts is no different from most other urban-ish areas and I'm a well traveled person. I could've moved anywhere. I chose Asheville - for all the reasons listed above. The pros far outweigh the cons. It's not perfect but it's a funky, cool enclave - not too big, not too small and TONS of personality. People who come here like cool people and cool things. There's an underbelly, yes. But if you want cool and funky that comes with the territory. Read Less

There are better places 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Oct 16, 2019) It's not the worst ever, but I would much recommend other places over this. For example, Roanoke, Virginia. West Asheville is particularly bad, especially in crime. ...Read More Read Less

Paradise lost...Drug infested,dangerous,and crowded 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Aug 03, 2019) I lived in the area from 2009-2019. It was very liveable until about 2016. It has gone downhill fast. Dangerous drug addicts everywhere. Schizophrenic bums sleep on the streets and are free to wander around hassleing and assaulting people. The roads are crowded. The rent is unaff ...Read More ordable and inflated. There are no good paying jobs. The city gov turns a blind eye to problems and spends money to build hotels while the roads go unfixed. 80% of rentals are air bnb. The single women hate men and are into tattoos and witchcraft lol. There is a needle drug problem ( i found syringes) the long time natives are addicted to meth and are drunks. The police dont enforce any laws unless its a traffic ticket or a murder which there have been plenty this year. The crime rate is sky high. The mountains are beautiful and the nature is great but be careful on the trails. The people who have skin in the game are in denial and will pretend nothings wrong for fear of revenue loss
Be advised the Asheville you were told about is dead and the comercials you see are a bait and switch. Read Less

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There are better places 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Oct 16, 2019) It's not the worst ever, but I would much recommend other places over this. For example, Roanoke, Virginia. West Asheville is particularly bad, especially in crime. ...Read More Read Less

Paradise lost...Drug infested,dangerous,and crowded 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Aug 03, 2019) I lived in the area from 2009-2019. It was very liveable until about 2016. It has gone downhill fast. Dangerous drug addicts everywhere. Schizophrenic bums sleep on the streets and are free to wander around hassleing and assaulting people. The roads are crowded. The rent is unaff ...Read More ordable and inflated. There are no good paying jobs. The city gov turns a blind eye to problems and spends money to build hotels while the roads go unfixed. 80% of rentals are air bnb. The single women hate men and are into tattoos and witchcraft lol. There is a needle drug problem ( i found syringes) the long time natives are addicted to meth and are drunks. The police dont enforce any laws unless its a traffic ticket or a murder which there have been plenty this year. The crime rate is sky high. The mountains are beautiful and the nature is great but be careful on the trails. The people who have skin in the game are in denial and will pretend nothings wrong for fear of revenue loss
Be advised the Asheville you were told about is dead and the comercials you see are a bait and switch. Read Less

Used Needles all around 1 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 24, 2019) We arrived downtown and opened our car door to find used syringes on the ground. The smell of urine permeates the air. Passed out homeless on the streets and in the parks. If you eat al-fresco you will be harassed by the homeless. We couldn't get thru our meal as these toothless ...Read More smelly ambasadors of the town wouldn't leave us alone. They will scream at you if you don't hand them money. We were going to stay but left after an hour. As filthy as San Francisco, what a sh!* hole. Read Less

Asheville is an overpriced dump 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Mar 31, 2019) Moved to Asheville for retirement and regret it enormously. This small "city" is trashy, dirty, and everything is overpriced. Homes, hotels, restaurants, etc are ridiculously expensive and for no valid reason. Crime is insane and the drug problem with crystal meth only worsens an ...Read More already bad situation. The inequality between the few "Haves" with money versus the majority of "Have Nots" creates a hostile environment, one that's been here but getting worse as the imbalance continues. Locals are enraged by being priced out of their own area and employment here pays only low wages for tourism, service (restaurants, stores), and taking care of the ballooning elderly population (health care, assisted living). Real professional jobs are non-existent and the bright young people won't and can't live here. Instead these young people move to other areas like the Triangle, Atlanta, Washington DC, NYC, etc. Unless one is a successful business person this is not your area. Physicians, professors, veterinarians and other professionals don't make the income in the Asheville/Western NC area that they would elsewhere. Doctors are overworked and underpaid. Lawyers barely survive and compete with dozens of other lawyers for little money. If you're a professional, this is Not your area.
Schools are not supported and education is pathetic. Sending your child to a private school doesn't give the child much more than the public schools and in all cases public school districts in other areas are far and away better than either public or private schools in Asheville/WNC. Homeschool, send kid to a boarding school, or don't move here. Education here is horrendously low quality.

The water, air, soil in this region is dangerously polluted. You can't see the mountain views due to severe pollution coming from Tennessee power plants. The water is contaminated with usual bacteria and many chemical compounds. Soil is also badly polluted from decades of pesticide and fertilizer use. Those chemicals remain in the soil for decades and are in the water pulled for city and well water drinking. Foul taste and there appears to be a higher than average cancer rate in this area.

I made a huge mistake moving here and one I'm in the process of undoing. Research on your own and do Not listen to those involved in marketing Asheville or the Western NC area. Read Less

Not what you expect 2 rating By Anonymous ( Oct 28, 2018) Really sucks. Being taken over by illegals, rich developers who think everyone has a six figure income, unbearable traffic, high prices, no affordable housing but plenty of homeless shelters, low wages, high medical cost and all them damn tree huggers! ...Read More Read Less

Never again Asheville 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Aug 17, 2018) This was our first and last visit. This place is awe full. Every single place is trying to be a bussines but don't have a clue how to run it. Don't go by what they're website is saying because most likely they don't even know they have one. They close and open when they want and ...Read More it dose not matter what it said on the door. No fun at all. Went to lake Lure that place its a biggest joke I have ever experienced. They said it's privat lake, seriously. Biltmore house waste of time, overpriced ( by the way everything is overpriced ) bunch of rooms, and a garden. You can see way more beautiful gardens in other places for less money. People are very rude but then I don't blame them to many visitors for no reason. All in all we wasted our time. Don't go you will be disappointed . Read Less

Good town to raise family 4 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 29, 2018) We’ve lived in Asheville for almost 30 years. Unlike many people who just move to a town without any connections, we’ve had many strong connections through work, school, sports, etc. Asheville has a lot going for it, but it is not some liberal paradise like many make it out t ...Read More o be. It is far more liberal than most of NC, but there are lots of kinds of people here. It is mostly white, but it’s getting more diverse. Now to qualify this, we do not live in the city limits. We live 15 min from downtown out in the county. Our neighborhood is quiet, peaceful, virtually crime free. I can reach most of the stores most of you use within 10 or 15 min, including target, Whole Foods, grocery store, etc. Traffic is getting worse because everyone is moving to Asheville. Jobs are scarce. Professional, senior level positions I mean. Service industry, tourism, and light manufacturing are big, as is the community hospital mentioned by previous reviewer. Mission hospital did indeed stand up to the largest insurer in NC to insure profitability for the hospital. Yes it was painful for the many people who use BCBS of NC. But the reviewer gave only one perspective, failing to note how large and profitable BCBS of Nc is, and they refused to negotiate without dictating the terms. One of these was no rate increase for the hospital for several years. So yes, we have an exceptionally well managed hospital, with all the failures and successes of most modern facilities. It rates high, and is the largest employer in our region. It is in the process of being sold to HCA for over 1 billion. It is one of the better jobs in town, so lots of jobs for RNs, MDs and PAs. If you are a new age healer, or massage therapist, you may starve. There’s 25 for every 100 residents :) And therapists too. Some poor lady in previous post could not find a good therapist, but this town is loaded with them, in old historic homes converted to offices on S French Broad, Chestnut, etc. Housing is rediculous here. This is the other good work opportunity. My friends have done very well buying real estate over past decades for rentals. AirBNB whole house letting is forbidden in parts of the city, but out in the county it is a popular way to supplement the marginal incomes common in AVL. Tourism is big time, with 40% increase in hotel rooms from 2014 to 2019 (permitted). It really is challenging going downtown during the summer. We avoid it for most part but it’s not that difficult to find parking. We have excellent restaurants. If you can’t find places to eat here then you are unique. Plenty of unique people....As far as crime, the statistics don’t really reflect the reality for most people living or moving here. Most crime is poor on poor, domestic violence, drugs, and some other property crimes. Just like anywhere, your neighbors can really shade your experience. Racism is no more an issue here than other places. But all it takes is a few chance interactions and it is easy to conclude that a place is racist. Or anti Lesbian. Um that’s just silly. There are so many lesbians in this town. I guess some go to church. So? I think I reflect the typical Asheville resident in saying, “who cares?” I remember 20 years ago a new employee from another state came, and had a bumper sticker that said, “nobody knows I’m gay”. I wanted to cross it out and write “nobody cares I’m gay”. I guess the pride thing isn’t so big here because people are less preoccupied with that movement specifically? They’re just gay and preoccupied with raising families, soccer, beer, gardening, festivals, kayaking, mtn biking, shopping, eating. You know, living. But hey, different strokes. I know all kinds of backwards judging Babptist and even they don’t pay much attention to lesbians. Gay men have it far worse in that respect. So my gay men friends tell me. Several of my kids friends have gay parents. My kids don’t blink an eye at that. Meanwhile their cousins in Atlanta have 13 yo transgender kids on their swim teams. Wearing a one piece one year and a Speedo the next. This is just the world we live in, not the city. My kids love it here. They attended Asheville High which is 40% black. We purposely transferred out of the county district to Asheville High because of diversity, academic programs, and athletics. Our kids did very well there, peers went to Ivy leagues, or other top tier regional schools. One of mine finished undergrad in 3 years, by in large due to all the AP courses ar Asheville High. Off to med school in Aug. the other is in biz school in Raleigh. Visiting or moving to a town can create impressions based on random interactions. I exoerimced this traveling, when I return to a beautiful place in Asia or wherever, it’s not like the last time. Maybe it sucks. Sometimes it’s just a couple of interactions, or our own attitudes that form our impressions. All that said, I want to move away for a while. I’ve spent a good part of recent years out of the country, and I tire of Asheville for reasons that are irrelevant to those of you relocating here. But there’s nearly a quarter million people in this county now, and growth has really accelerated. We love our quiet corner out here, our crisp, clean well water, land for garden, moderate weather. But it is the south, and areas surrounding Asheville are Appalachia. There is a distinct culture and rich history in these mountains, but most of the reviewers here have likely barely scratched that surface. Just hoping to offer a more balanced view of Asheville, or the greater area. Most of us live out in the county and I can go weeks or months at times without going downtown. The traffic is getting worse, but people are far more courteous and less aggressive drivers than found in Atlanta, Raleigh, DC, Chicago, etc. Read Less

Stupid people live here 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 23, 2018) All they know how to do is hold a middle finger up as they try and drive... dumb dumb dumb really dumb dumb dumb people ...Read More Read Less

Do not move or vacation here 0.5 rating By Jason B ( Apr 21, 2018) Please read this review in its entirety. My family and I have lived in Asheville for a number of years as transplants from Charlotte. There are a lot of good things we enjoy about Asheville NC: the scenery, the weather, the canine community and the alternative health scene. Howe ...Read More ver, over the past 4 years, this town has become a nightmare to call home. There are constant reminders or racism. Townspeople ride around with Confederate Flags offending anyone that is in view of their vehicles. They park their racist vehicles anywhere that will allow them when they go to work with their flags blazing i.e a Tire and Car repair shop on Sweeten Creek Road near Biltmore, Hardees also at the Biltmore. The police force and government overall have hints of racist inequality. There practically is no middle class as the housing is unbelievably over-priced. The population is becoming increasingly stratified as either retired upper class or poor native. The job market is a bust as the city tries to survive, not thrive, off of a seasonal vacation market. The economic debacle is a contributor to increasing crime. The only Hospital in town had stopped accepting insurance because the Administration wanted more money from one of the main insurance carriers. Eventually, they caved and started to accept insurance that the majority of the residents maintain. This was a severe inconvenience for people who supported the town Hospital for years. Two festivals no longer are supported in the community which made the town extremely vibrant in the Spring and Fall. I do not know what has happened to Asheville. But our family maybe, indeed seeing our last days here. If you are considering vacationing or relocating to Asheville or even visiting, I would think twice. The picturesque beauty is definitely fading. Read Less

Scary liberal town 0.5 rating By conservative ( Sep 27, 2017) Asheville used to be such a wonderful town, but now the only wonderful thing about it is the Biltmore estate. Visit Asheville but don't think about living in Asheville ...Read More Read Less

Please stop moving to Asheville... 5 rating By Laurenredfern ( Feb 02, 2017) I have lived in this beautiful city for over 30 years. Born in memorial hospital in the biltmore area. Room 357. I read these reviews of people who move here being displeased with their experience in our beautiful city. I say farewell transplants and I so hope you find a home of ...Read More your own that suits your hearts desires. Transplants have driven up the cost of real estate and are chipping away at what made our city what it is and thus so desirable. Come visit. See some cool things, meet great people, drink a lot of great beer, check out some of the most beautiful mountains you will ever see, dine at our amazing restaurants, cruise by the biltmore estate, drink some wine, enjoy our laid back accepting nature and then go home.I have no intentions to be mean. Just a thought. Many locals are so annoyed with tourists because they are ruining the city. Taking parking. Litering in our beautiful streets and judging our people. I say be a tourist and then go back to your cozy suburb. It works out!!!! I hear Hendersonville is great, you should go there instead ;) Read Less

Stuck in the 60's 0.5 rating By conservative ( Jan 23, 2017) We wanted to move to the mountains from Florida, so we picked Asheville almost twelve years ago since it had a regional airport and the Biltmore Estate. We have found the city to be dirty, extremely liberal, abusive to conservative citizens and rude to visitors. Sadly, the "outs ...Read More ide" stories are always about the Biltmore, but the Biltmore is only one small aspect of Asheville. Most of the city is overtaken by the "welcomed" homeless which are really millenials that don't want to work but would rather be taken care of by the city. The local leadership and subsequent followers are very liberal, so if you are not in their pack, they would prefer you leave. So, we will be leaving as the city reminds me so much of Sodom and Gomorrah. They won't miss us, since we are Christian conservatives and we are everything the Asheville leadership choose to treat with disdain. Asheville truly is a city of vulgarity and hate. Very sad, pretty mountains but ugly at the core, no heart!!! Read Less

Very awful place 0.5 rating By ndm1977 ( Nov 25, 2016) I lived in Asheville, North Carolina for 3 and a half years. Terrible place. Overpriced, racism, close-mindedness, uneducated people, over abundance of homeless people, dirty environment, poor hygiene and terrible economy. ...Read More Read Less

Overrated, overpriced, overtaxed 0.5 rating By Zzyzzy ( Apr 04, 2016) Have lived in area for 12 years. Yes, there are some excellent restaurants, but that's about it. Horribly inflated and poorly built housing. Zoning nonexistent or ludicrous. Be prepared to find an auto junkyard directly across from your development driveway, beat up trailers with ...Read More jacked up rusting pick ups next to your "country estate."There are now 150 "halfway houses" installed in needier areas that bring in income for the owners, and "recovering" drug addicts from all over the country. Beggars in downtown and a general seediness round it out. What's not to love? Read Less

I can't wait to move after six months - six more to go! 1.5 rating By lynnecw ( Feb 12, 2015) This place is deceptive and if you move here alone as a single woman in her 40's from a more sophisticated place with various types of industry and people of all types, this place can get depressing fast. It rains a lot and is grey and dumpy looking most of the winter. So if you ...Read More have SAD, don't let anyone here tell you there are mosty sunny days with blue skies. Not true. Sun shines only 58% of the time statistically.

Many of the people here seem either vacant and depressed or totally into their own little world and there are lots of little worlds to be in here. But if you are a more worldly person who likes more variety, this place is not it. People here often smell bad, don't comb their hair, dress in dirty clothing and it just gets depressing. This contrasted by the few rich older people that come here from mostly New York and Florida and the vegan, crunchy types from anywhere as well. I am not a fashion snob by any means, but the weird mix of culture here is pretty surreal. Plenty of hippies, gay people, rednecks, and older people but not enough vibrant single people of various ages. Seems cliquish and strange as well. Every other person smokes and that's really depressing to look at after a while, let alone smell, even with your car windows rolled down.

This is not as progressive of a place as I thought - not at all. And there's a lot of congestion and accidents all the time on the roads. I'm tired of looking at badly kept dreadlocks, nose piercings, and ear plugs, besides. It's revolting after a while. Get on Facebook WAX group and you can see the mentality of the lot of the people who live here, including hipsters.

There are some good things here for sure, but really if you come from out west where you can see a lot of sky, open views, including socially, you will be depressed by this area possibly. Don't expect to come here and have plenty of options for dating either, from what I've heard and seen just by looking around and getting involved in various meetup groups. I can't wait to go back out West!

This place has a creepy, Stephen King novel kind of a vibe and if you need a good doctor of the shrink variety, it makes it even worse. There are some awful doctors here, if you can even get in to see one...My depression problems, which were under control off meds before i moved here, quadrupled by the shock of it all and depressing scenery most of the year - dumpy buildings, small hills, and hikes that look like very other hike just about. And everyone wants you to love it here, which is weird in and of itself....It's a weird, surreal place culturally and I feel like I am trapped in some weird mountain nightmare.... Read Less

My 30 Years In Asheville, NC 4.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jan 13, 2015) I've lived in Asheville, NC for 30 years. This is where I was born and where I was raised. The beauty of the area doesn't make me want to leave. There are four distinct seasons in the area, and there are plenty of things to do no matter you age.

Although I have been there dozen ...Read More s of times, my favorite place to visit is the Biltmore Estate. The best time to go is in the winter. The entire estate is decorated for Christmas. More of the rooms are opened, and you can smell a pleasant blend of hot apple cider and cinnamon as soon as you walk in the door. Another reason I like the area is because of Mission Hospital. My father was in a car accident, and that was the first place we went. The care is extraordinary. The doctors and nurses are some of the best in the region for traumas.

I live in an older home, and that's the kind of houses you will usually see in Asheville. While there are new apartment buildings going up and new homes being built, I still enjoy the older homes with the large front porches. The rent isn't that expensive as a typical three-bedroom home is about $900 a month. The downtown area is simply charming. One of my favorite things to do is shop at some of the local stores and enjoy a nice lunch at one of the small cafes. The best way to enjoy lunch on a warm day is by sitting outside at a park so that you can see the scenery and the mountains in the distance. Read Less

Don't Be fooled by Asheville 0.5 rating By Lavegan ( Jul 13, 2014) Oh my god (if I believed in a god)! Where do I begin? My girlfriend and I moved (including our beautiful whippet) to Asheville about 6 months ago from Los Angeles, because we heard that this was one of the most liberal places to live not to mention affordable. Being the adventur ...Read More ous people we are, we packed our stuff and shipped it out East. When we saw Asheville in person, it was just as beautiful as we imagined, the beautiful mountains and even eatable vegan food in almost most of the restaurants downtown. But things took a turn when we started meeting the people. Everywhere we go, people just stare at you and I first I thought oh maybe it's because we don't look southern enough...But it kept getting worse. We have had more than five different occasions where we have been treated unfairly for being lesbians! Wait a second! Didn't all those blogs say this was a gay friendly town!? No. Every gay person I have met here goes to church, which doesn't make any sense to me. I have been yelled at for being called a feminist. There are NO decent gay bars, they are filled with rednecks with low IQ's that are looking for drugs. It's horrible and not to mention NO gay pride? What!? Even Salt Lake City has a gay pride. The lack of culture here is enough to make you want take trips up to NYC every month for a dose of real reality. It's white wash central up here and I'm white enough...I need some Asians, Indians, middle eastern or Jewish people for crying out loud. The food all taste white! There are maybe three solid restaurants that don't taste white made. People are sweet and nice alright here, to your face that is. It creeps me out when you can see someone just judging you, no speaks any truth here. And it makes my family uncomfortable. We were raised to be honest and this is not an honest town. We have made zero friends here and I have yet to have had a stimulating conversation. And the jealousy! If you work in the entertainment business like we do (film/tv and fashion) the women here are cruel to you. We've been beat up a little too much Asheville, your mountains are beautiful but the people need to learn about evolution. The old boys southern mentality is still alive and well here. Stay where you are if you are considering a move here...And one more thing, If you hate Starbucks as much as I do, that's all they have here..It's like the 90s all over again without the cool hair and music. Read Less

Asheville, NC - The Good and Bad 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( Aug 04, 2010) I've visited Asheville, NC many times over the years, and watched as its grown from a small mountain city into a well known center for creative people. Despite the many published reports that claim Asheville is one of the best places to live in the United States, it has both posi ...Read More tives and negatives.

The positives for visitors are the wonderful landscape, the community, and of course, the massive Biltmore House, the home of the wealthy Vanderbilts and the largest private home built in the United States. The mansion and the surrounding grounds have been featured in many movies and has incredible history. It also has surrounding vineyards, gardens and dairies and is the focal point of the city.

The only real negative aspect of Asheville are the crime rates, as they are higher than average when compared to the rest of North Carolina. Having said that, I always feel safe in Asheville and most would agree that it is a safe city to live in.

The city of Asheville itself is mountainous, but the terrain is not as steep and treacherous as just a few miles farther East into the Appalachians. Still, the winters can be serious and not for the timid, and the cooler seasons last longer than in the flatlands. The city itself is charming and eclectic, and in recent years, artists and creative people have flocked to Asheville, making it one of the more interesting places to call home. However, the influx of outside people has caused real estate values to rise. Read Less