Burnsville-- Gotta be there! (Boone: employment, school, wages)

[Siddalee]

Hi everyone! I am new to this forum but really enjoy what I have read so far. I am interested in information and advice regarding my desire to move to Burnsville, NC. I have been coming for visits for over 10 years now and would love live there. I am looking for information about job prospects, affordable living, winter weather conditions, etc. This place is so beautiful and peaceful to me and my heart strings are tugged each time I have to leave to come home. The people in this little community are wonderful and I just really feel like this is where I am meant to live. I came to know Burnsville as a child because my "Papa" (grandfather) lived there so it holds a special place in my heart for that reason also.
I am of very modest means so a job would be my first concentration. What are the most needed jobs there? I would consider going back to school for more training if I knew what I would need to focus on for a good job. Is there affordable housing? Thanks in advance for any information or just anything you can tell me about this beautiful town.

[EasyLivin]

I want to know also. We live in Far West NC now and are looking over there in Mitchell and Yancey Counties for a small farm.

Especially I am interested in the winter climate there. I have heard that there is a lot of snow there. I don't mind some snow but we don't want to be shoveling for months on end. Here we have snow but rarely does it last for more than a couple days per snowfall and accumulation over a couple inches is rare.

We are choosing this area because it is closer to the city but still rural. We have less than 9,000 people in our entire county! So to us, Burnsville IS the big city. LOL

[Southlander]

The economy in this region is severely depressed. Several furniture manufacturers have closed their plants (thank you, China). Education levels are quite low. Things get a little better toward Boone. Mining remains a mainstay of the economy, but much of it is now automated. Not like the old days when you could get a job digging mica and feldspar. Tourism is the hope for the future. There are always health care jobs, but remember that wages are quite low here, too. If you see a big fine house, it usually belongs to a rich Atlantan who visits it a few times a year and plays golf at Mountain Aire. Weather - yes, it snows. Perhaps someone can post a weather Web site.

[EasyLivin]

For us, work is not an issue. I am an artist who sells on eBay and my husband is an organic farmer.

I can find all kinds of information on the snowfall, which is conflicting, but does it stay for months or melt in a couple days? That is our main question about the area.
Thanks!

[JenniferF]

It doesn't snow here nearly as much as it use to. It usualy stays on the ground for no more than a day or two at a time.

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by EasyLivin

For us, work is not an issue. I am an artist who sells on eBay and my husband is an organic farmer. I can find all kinds of information on the snowfall, which is conflicting, but does it stay for months or melt in a couple days? That is our main question about the area.
Thanks!

That's great! Farming...you won't find huge fields for row crops, and sometimes the soil can be thin...but that may not be that much of an issue for you.
When it snows, it does stick around for a while...or at least it used to...JenniferF is right, it melted quickly this past winter. But it did snow several times.

[EasyLivin]

Thanks! I believe we may be growing just in our greenhouse for awhile. I am trying to convince my hubby that he is too old to have 3 or 4 acres of garden. But we can grow a lot in that GH, it's 30'x50'.

I am glad to hear that it does stick around a couple days. I revert back to my childhood when we get it. I am late 40's and think nothing of making snow angels or snowmen when I get a change. LOL

[Zooropa]

Winter isn't that bad there, and summer is mild. Temps average 45/22 in january and 81/58 july and average about 20 inches of snow per year.

[relaxedandsmilin]

i have a place at the top of bald mtn. the weather is absolutely beautiful...it gets to zero in the winter and we do get a couple of feet of snow but its light and beautiful. im so very glad you appreciate it there...there isnt much in the way of employment and it is getting more expensive to live there every day. i live in fl now but im getting ready to move there full time so ill be facing the same dilemma. you will probably have to drive closer to asheville for work. if you take a look at careerbuilder.com for asheville, you will find jobs listed. you will also see that there are only 4 for burnsville and three of them are at mountain air country club. good luck on your move

[mhogan10010]

I lived in the foothills for several years, but had a friend who was a minister up in that area. He said that employment was the real catch to living there. He said he found three classes of people. One group was rich. Another was on welfare. The third smaller class worked in Christmas trees or tourism.
I'd love the weather up there too.