VarroExplore other towns

Asheville, NC

Woodfin is part of the Asheville area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Asheville

Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate · Photo: JST Tx, CC BY-SA 4.0
Akzona Biltmore Building, Asheville, NC
Akzona Biltmore Building, Asheville, NC · Photo: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
All Souls Cathedral Asheville
All Souls Cathedral Asheville · Photo: Ladyvet27, CC BY-SA 4.0
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Asheville City Hall, Asheville, NC
Asheville City Hall, Asheville, NC · Photo: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
Asheville High School, Asheville, NC
Asheville High School, Asheville, NC · Photo: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
Asheville Masonic Temple Scottish Rite Cathedral, Asheville, NC
Asheville Masonic Temple Scottish Rite Cathedral, Asheville, NC · Photo: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina
Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina · Photo: 24dupontchevy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Devastation in Asheville after Hurricane Helene
Devastation in Asheville after Hurricane Helene · Photo: Bill McMannis, CC BY 2.0
Fountain, downtown Asheville, NC
Fountain, downtown Asheville, NC · Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
J. Rush Oates Plaza, Asheville, NC
J. Rush Oates Plaza, Asheville, NC · Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Thomas Wolfe House, Asheville, NC
Thomas Wolfe House, Asheville, NC · Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY 3.0
More towns near Asheville
Ranks the towns around it by your budget and what you love doing.
What locals say

Loading what residents say about Asheville...

Where it is
Asheville
Asheville in North Carolina
North Carolina in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Asheville area.

31
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
40
coffee shops
62
parks
30
playgrounds
7
libraries
4
movie theaters
7
live theaters
5
museums
16
bookstores
1
comic shop
20
gyms
58
bars
11
pharmacies
3
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Asheville area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
32 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
105 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 47,319 rented homes in the Asheville area, 90% rent for under $2,000 a month and 97% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 34%
$1,000 to $1,499: 34%
$1,500 to $1,999: 22%
$2,000 to $2,499: 6%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 3%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Asheville area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in North Carolina

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the North Carolina DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: North Carolina voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Asheville High School, Asheville, NC
Asheville High School, Asheville, NC · Photo: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0

2 public school districts in this county, with about 26,228 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Buncombe County Schools · Asheville
22,091 students · 13.8 students per teacher · 45 schools · grades Pre-K to 13
Asheville City Schools · Asheville
4,137 students · 13.4 students per teacher · 9 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

North Carolina keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in North Carolina →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

6 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Asheville. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College · Asheville
Public, 2-year (community college) · 6,297 students · $2,882 in-state, $9,026 out-of-state
University of North Carolina Asheville · Asheville
Public, 4-year · 2,925 students · $7,461 in-state, $24,809 out-of-state
Montreat College · Montreat
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 932 students · $33,860 a year
Warren Wilson College · Swannanoa
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 797 students · $40,290 a year
Blue Ridge Community College · Flat Rock (metro)
Public, 2-year (community college) · 2,822 students · $2,660 in-state, $8,804 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$419,186
What a typical home sells for across the Asheville area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
22 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $3,124 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NC. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
3 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
27.2 per 100,000 people a year
76 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. NC average: 20.2 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$70,578
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.6% of home value a year
About $600 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.99%
NC's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

More towns in North Carolina →