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Description: |
Asheville North Carolina offers both visitors and residents a vibrant city of new and old architecture, many great shops and restaurants and music and art at its many galleries and theaters. The Biltmore House, fashioned after 16th century French castles and built over a six-year period by billionaire George Vanderbilt, is one of Asheville’s most prominent attractions. The entire estate encompassed over 120,000 acres with landscape design by Frederick Olmsted who also designed New York’s Central Park. |
Asheville is a haven for art and music lovers. The prominent Art and Culture scene includes over 30 art galleries and many events and festivals featuring the Arts and Crafts Antique Show in February, the Blacksmith Festival in April, the Montford Arts and Music Festival in May, the Bluff Mountain Festival in June, the Village Art & Craft Fair near the Biltmore Estate in August , the Asheville Quilt Show in September and many others. The Asheville Symphony Orchestra features music of major traditional composers while the Orange Peel is known worldwide for bringing live contemporary music featuring current leading artists to the City. Asheville boasts top rated restaurants offering vegetarian, farm to table, southern cooking, as well as a variety of international foods. Many wine bars and coffee houses are also available throughout the City. |
The stunning Blue Ridge Mountains offer a variety of outdoor activities to Asheville’s residents including hiking, biking, skiing, horseback riding and fishing in the many rivers. The biodiversity found in these mountains includes many plant species and a large variety of mammals and birds. |
Residents of Asheville can take advantage of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute or OLLI at the University of North Carolina. This program was developed to enable retired adults and others in their later years to continue to grow through its focus on learning, leadership, community service and research. |
Reasons to retire here: Culture (Museums, Festivals, Galleries, Symphony, etc.) Historic district, Outdoor recreation, Above average health care facilities, airport serving major airlines within minutes of the City. |
Weather: Temperatures range from lows in the winter in the mid 20s to summer highs in the mid 80s. |
Population: 84,000 |
State Income Tax: range from 6% to 7.75% |
Sales Tax: 6.75% |
Property Taxes: 1.12%. People over 65 are eligible for limits on property taxes to 4 or 5% of income. |
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