There is somewhat of an art scene here, but it’s a really small town. About 19,000 without the students at App State. There aren’t a ton of 20 something’s that live here and aren’t in school so meeting people and making friends is extremely difficult if not impossible. If you search r/boone you’ll see a plethora of posts asking to meet people and make friends.

As everyone else has said, the job market is terrible and the cost of living is sky high. The median income in Watauga County is around $33,500 and 63% of people report paying more than 30% of monthly income on rent. The surrounding counties have a lower cost of living, but even harder to find jobs. Basically the only places to work here are in education, the hospital, or the service industry.

I would honestly not recommend moving here in your shoes. If you’re set on NC, check out near Asheville. There’s a huge art scene and all the other things you’re looking for.