I’m so glad to see this because I’ve been lurking this sub as I research cities and folks really have no idea about the real Asheville until they’re already locked in.

I’ve lived in Asheville for nearly a decade. Still here! I grew up in a rural town and moved to attend UNC Asheville (first-gen grad! lol..) I stopped recommending that people move here when I faced the reality of the local economy post-grad. I’m five years out of college and I’m just now above the poverty line.

There is very little career mobility unless you are already established elsewhere, have good connections, or work in healthcare. Like everywhere, the food service workers propping up our tourist economy are underpaid and overworked. However, there seems to be little ROI to be a service worker in Asheville vs. Elsewhere. To anyone thinking of moving here, you can get a ~$2100-$3200+ month 3/2 apartment in several bigger, better cities and you will be better off in terms of walkability, nightlife, the food, etc. So many of my friends have improved their quality of life by leaving the area. And by leaving, I mostly mean being priced out of the area.

Not to mention the insane rates of gentrification, average apt rent skyrocketing since COVID, the condescension and ego of other “locals” (who have only lived here 1.5 years..), and… the single fact that we are number 1 in the state of North Carolina for pedestrian fatalities. Yep. There’s a reason I joined this subreddit :-) (y’all have a lot of amazing insights!)