Cities similar to Asheville? (Burlington, Hickory: home, college, living in)
Western North CarolinaThe Mountain Region including Asheville
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I have lived in Asheville for 3.5 years and have loved almost every minute of it. Unfortunately, my job situation in healthcare is becoming a bit tumultuous and it might be time for me to move on. I am looking for recommendations for cities/towns comparable to Asheville.
What I enjoy most about Asheville (and hope to find in another town) is the support of small, local businesses and the active, social community. I love the expanse of restaurants with a focus on locally grown food and of course, the breweries. I love the seasons, particularly fall and winter and would prefer not to move anywhere that gets much hotter than it does here. I would consider moving to a larger city but I do not want any place much smaller than Asheville. I appreciate the beauty of the area and enjoy recreational activities, particularly hiking. I also love how Asheville is a progressive town. I tend to lean liberal and I am not a religious person. Although I live close to downtown, I love the vibe of west AVL and how it offers somewhat an escape from the tourists. I like the fact that there is always something happening - art shows, live music, all the festivals during the summer.
A little about myself - I am a 32 year old single female. I make a decent living and will probably not have much difficulty finding a job anywhere. All of my family is on the east coast. I have a sibling here in Asheville and my parents are two hours away. I also have family in Florida, Mass, Pennsylvania, and NY. I would prefer to stay within driving distance of the east coast but am considering moving further away.
Since this board is really only for discussing topics relative to western NC, and there isn't another place like Asheville in western NC, you might do better to post on boards in other states you are considering. Oregon comes to mind, as I think there are towns there tat meet your criteria.
I have lived in Asheville for 3.5 years and have loved almost every minute of it. Unfortunately, my job situation in healthcare is becoming a bit tumultuous and it might be time for me to move on. I am looking for recommendations for cities/towns comparable to Asheville.
As the previous poster said, Asheville is unique in North Carolina. I would suggest the Amherst/Northampton area of Massachusetts or around Portland, Oregon.
Maybe check out up-state South Carolina and north-west Georgia, but expect them to be less progressive.
I have lived in Asheville for 3.5 years and have loved almost every minute of it. Unfortunately, my job situation in healthcare is becoming a bit tumultuous and it might be time for me to move on. I am looking for recommendations for cities/towns comparable to Asheville.
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Thanks in advance for any tips and suggestions!
Have you searched for other healthcare (hospital, or) opportunities in this area?
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Originally Posted by Smessen
I have lived in Asheville for 3.5 years and have loved almost every minute of it. Unfortunately, my job situation in healthcare is becoming a bit tumultuous and it might be time for me to move on. I am looking for recommendations for cities/towns comparable to Asheville.
What I enjoy most about Asheville (and hope to find in another town) is the support of small, local businesses and the active, social community. I love the expanse of restaurants with a focus on locally grown food and of course, the breweries. I love the seasons, particularly fall and winter and would prefer not to move anywhere that gets much hotter than it does here. I would consider moving to a larger city but I do not want any place much smaller than Asheville. I appreciate the beauty of the area and enjoy recreational activities, particularly hiking. I also love how Asheville is a progressive town. I tend to lean liberal and I am not a religious person. Although I live close to downtown, I love the vibe of west AVL and how it offers somewhat an escape from the tourists. I like the fact that there is always something happening - art shows, live music, all the festivals during the summer.
A little about myself - I am a 32 year old single female. I make a decent living and will probably not have much difficulty finding a job anywhere. All of my family is on the east coast. I have a sibling here in Asheville and my parents are two hours away. I also have family in Florida, Mass, Pennsylvania, and NY. I would prefer to stay within driving distance of the east coast but am considering moving further away.
Thanks in advance for any tips and suggestions!
If you can find employment, you might consider Providence, RI. There's a great local food community and great restaurant scene, it's a progressive place though not really a hippy mecca like Boulder, Berkeley, or Burlington, VT. It has four seasons complete with beautiful New England fall foliage, great coastline nearby, and there is a small but growing craft brew scene.
We're a net exporter of our crankiest conservatives. We ship them down your way.
However, as a formerly avid hiker, I can say it doesn't really have great hiking; for that you have to travel some distance if you want mountain views.
Since this board is really only for discussing topics relative to western NC, and there isn't another place like Asheville in western NC, you might do better to post on boards in other states you are considering. Oregon comes to mind, as I think there are towns there tat meet your criteria.
Thank you for this suggestion. There are multiple places I have thought about but figured it would be easier to start here before posting the same message in the 10-12 forums of the other states I've considered. I see you are in Southport ... North Carolina? My parents recently bought a retirement home there. It's a nice area!
Have you searched for other healthcare (hospital, or) opportunities in this area?
The field I am in is quite specialized and options are limited to my current position. There are opportunities in areas such as Brevard, Hickory, and Marion;however, I am not interested in working or living in a smaller community.
If you can find employment, you might consider Providence, RI. There's a great local food community and great restaurant scene, it's a progressive place though not really a hippy mecca like Boulder, Berkeley, or Burlington, VT. It has four seasons complete with beautiful New England fall foliage, great coastline nearby, and there is a small but growing craft brew scene.
We're a net exporter of our crankiest conservatives. We ship them down your way.
However, as a formerly avid hiker, I can say it doesn't really have great hiking; for that you have to travel some distance if you want mountain views.
Thank you for your suggestion. I know very little about Providence but it has popped up on my radar lately. I hear it is a foodie town. I like the idea of a 'progressive town but not hippy mecca.' I am not one to stay out and party every night, but I have an active social life. Are there a lot of young professionals in the area?
As the previous poster said, Asheville is unique in North Carolina. I would suggest the Amherst/Northampton area of Massachusetts or around Portland, Oregon.
Maybe check out up-state South Carolina and north-west Georgia, but expect them to be less progressive.
I have considered Western Mass but I have yet to find anybody who has actually lived there. Are you very familiar with the area? My initial fear is that it might be too much of a 'college town' and I am a little too old for that. However, that is just what I have read from my brief internet search so I could very well have the wrong impression. Most people who I've asked that have lived in the northeast, don't have much to say about the Northampton/Amherst area. I would love to get up there to visit. Portland, Oregon is also on my list. I think it's just a little too far for me though.
Location: Earth, a nice neighborhood in the Milky Way
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smessen
Thank you for your suggestion. I know very little about Providence but it has popped up on my radar lately. I hear it is a foodie town. I like the idea of a 'progressive town but not hippy mecca.' I am not one to stay out and party every night, but I have an active social life. Are there a lot of young professionals in the area?
It absolutely is a foodie town!
There are young professionals in the city itself. Many of them live in Providence so they can live in a city but commute by train into much more expensive Boston for work. There are jobs locally but the market is soft. You say you are in healthcare and can work anywhere, so there may be something for you at any one of the local hospitals.
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