About Western North Carolina

Asheville

Population: 69,045
County: Buncombe
Elevation: 2,123 feet

Colleges and Universities: University of North Carolina - Asheville, Warren Wilson College, Montreat College, Asheville Buncombe Technical College 

Named by Frommer’s as one of the world’s “most unique and enticing destinations” for 2007, visitors come from around the globe to experience the unique mountain artistry, recreational adventure and exceptional hotels and attractions of Asheville. Here, the best of nature’s treasures live side-by-side with the most opulent of man’s treasures. From the stunning accommodations of The Grove Park Inn and the lavish treasures of the nation’s largest home, George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate, to the rustic appeal of mountain folk music, a fall drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, or a hike through miles of mountain scenery, Asheville is a wonderful place to visit again and to live. 

The city offers an eclectic mix of restaurants, night spots and theatres. More than 170 events are presented each year at The Diana Wortham Theatre. Local playhouses host live comedy and dramatic performances. June through September, the Asheville Downtown Association presents a free outdoor concert series on Park Square every third Friday. 

Naturally, any city that is so pleasant to visit is an even better place to live, as proven by the following list of accolades: 

19 of Top 25 Most Secure U.S. Places to Live
Farmers Insurance Group June 2005 

31 of 168 Small Metros Best Places For Business and Careers
Forbes May 2005

31 of 394 Regions, Entrepreneurial/Innovation Index
Small Business Administration April 2005

8 of America’s Top 25 Small Town Arts Destinations
AmericanStyle, Summer 2005

11 of 50 Best Places To Live
Men's Journal April 2005 

1 of 10 Great Adventure Towns
National Geographic ADVENTURE Magazine, September 2004

One of "Five Cities That Are Special"
USATODAY, July 2004

10 of America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations
AmericanStyle, Summer 2004

Best Place to Live, Number 8 of 331 Metros
Cities Ranked and Rated, March 2004

Top Ten Towns for a Second-Home Investment
MSN Money, October 2003

Best Places To Retire
MSN July 30, 2003

Top 15 Dream Towns (Best Places to Reinvent Your Life)
AARP Magazine, May/June 2003

18 of America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations
AmericanStyle Summer 2003

Click on these links to learn more:

Asheville Facts & Attractions
exploreasheville.com
ashevillechamber.org
westernncattractions.com

Pisgah National Forest
ncnatural.com/NCUSFS/Pisgah

Connemara, Carl Sandburg Home
nps.gov/carl

The Biltmore Estate and Gardens
biltmore.com

The Brevard Music Festival
brevardnc.com

The Flat Rock Playhouse
flatrockplayhouse.org

Two great national forests offer fishing, hiking trails, and rock climbing. The North Carolina Arboretum and the Botanical Gardens at Asheville offer tranquil settings to experience nature’s beauty and diversity. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway give the area both unlimited recreational opportunities and scenic splendor.

Nationally recognized for excellence, Mission Hospitals in Asheville is the regional referral center for Western North Carolina and the adjoining region. Mission is licensed for more than 800 beds, and the medical staff of Mission Hospitals includes more than 650 physicians in 50 plus specialties. Mission has nearly 6,000 employees, including nearly 1,700 RNs, and more than 800 volunteers. To meet the needs of a growing and aging population, Mission is undergoing an $80 million expansion and update of its critical care and surgical facilities.

• Mission was selected as one of America's “Top 100” hospitals in 2004 and 2005 by Solucient, which conducted an independent analysis of publicly available data from more than 6,000 acute care general hospitals to assess quality, operational efficiency, financial performance and adaptation to change.
• In 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2000, Mission’s Owen Heart Center was named as one of the top 100 cardiovascular hospitals in the nation, according to an independent study by healthcare data firm HCIA-Sachs Institute (now Solucient Leadership Institute).
• A 2004 study, commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund Mission, named Mission as one of the top hospitals in the nation.
  
  

Mission Hospital ranks among the top 50 hospitals in the entire nation for heart and heart surgery services by U.S. News & World Report in their 2003 health care ranking edition. There were only three other North Carolina Hospitals in the top 50; there were none in South Carolina.