by Robert Borges on October 20, 2024
If you’re comparing the best retirement communities Virginia has to offer but are unsure whether you'd prefer to settle down in one of the many affordable coastal retirement spots around the US, Asheville in North Carolina might just be the perfect compromise.
The Tar Heel State offers something for everyone, with the awe-inspiring peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, numerous high-quality golf courses, and a mild, warm climate enjoyed by most parts of North Carolina–being just slightly further south down the East Coast.
Contrary to common misconceptions, the average age in 55+ communities in Asheville and the surrounding areas is relatively low in a region with a median age of thirty-eight. This provides retirees with active, lively social groups, sporting and outdoor activities, and proximity to two beautiful national forests and state parks.
Benefits of Picking Asheville as Your Retirement Home
Like many charming, vibrant towns in North Carolina, Asheville is a small mountain community, and it feels homely and welcoming. Residents know it as the ‘Paris of the South,’ owing to its countless cultural attractions, art galleries, and museums.
With the mountain ridges forming a backdrop to the skyline downtown, several award-winning breweries, and an art deco architectural style, the pace of life is relaxed and friendly, with plenty of public art installations, hiking trails, and waterfalls to explore at your leisure.
Regularly ranked one of the best places to live based on quality of life, the town is also characterized by typical Southern hospitality and cuisines. At 2,000 feet elevation, it offers incredible views from almost anywhere.
Activities and Clubs in Asheville for Retirees
For more active, outgoing retirees, Asheville has no shortage of higher-energy sports to dabble in. There are hiking routes starting at the Blue Ridge Parkway, paddleboarding and kayaking down the French Broad River, and even skiing in the winter months at Wolf Ridge Ski Resort.
However, you don’t need to be a sports enthusiast to enjoy Asheville. The town's convention center hosts numerous sports shows, including basketball championships, musical performances, and the Lake Eden Arts Festival, which showcases the best of culture, arts, and music. Retirees might also love the North Carolina Arboretum and Asheville Art Museum or decide to enter the famous gingerbread house competition held annually at the Omni Grove Park Inn.
If you're retiring solo, you'll have an equally broad range of things to do, with galleries that offer workshops and classes, the Carolina Mountain Club, which welcomes newcomers to make friends and join guided hikes, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The latter offers educational programs across cultural, academic, and practical life courses with over 350 options, designed to help retirees pursue passions, interests, and hobbies that they now have more time for!
The Seasons and Climate in Asheville
Many retirees choose Asheville for the weather, especially those who find the tropical heat in Florida a little too much or want to enjoy the passing of the seasons and all the colors and changes they bring with them. Around 20% of the local population is sixty-five and older, illustrating the town's appeal for retirees, although with a generally youthful, cosmopolitan feel due to the local community college and University of North Carolina campuses.
If you love the warmth of the summer, the bright blooms of the spring, and the explosion of color in the autumn, offset by the cooler mountain winds in the winter, Asheville might just be your ideal retirement spot!
