Hendersonville

Nicknamed by locals the "Friendliest City in America", this best small town in North Carolina is located 30 minutes southeast of Asheville. The region’s thermal belt weather enhances the taste of sweet apples and provides year round weather conducive to golf and outdoor activities. Hendersonville NC includes the towns of Flat Rock, Fletcher, Laurel Park and Mills River. In the 1700's, Flat Rock was once known as "Little Charleston of the Mountains" because it became the central meeting place to trade commodities between the coastal South Carolina merchants and the Cherokee Indians. 

Hendersonville’s valley has been carved out by the flowing French Broad River and the Blue Ridge Mountains and Saluda Mountains overlook the valley. Dupont State Forest is the region’s most popular 10,400 acre state park, a wonderful place to hike and enjoy four beautiful waterfalls; Hooker Falls, Triple Falls, High Falls and Bridal Veil Falls and Lake Julia. Mills River is known for some of the best fishing holes, tubing adventures and children’s summer camps in the Hendersonville area. 

In 1988, the city of Hendersonville began revitalizing its downtown Main Street. Celebrating 25 years of progress, the City of Hendersonville NC has done a fantastic job preserving the historic architecture while attracting award winning restaurants, art galleries and colorful painted bears who greet visitors along the sidewalks. The annual North Carolina Apple Festival in Hendersonville NC is one of the largest apple festivals in Western North Carolina. Summer concerts and old fashioned street dances take place every week near the rustic mountain homes.

If you're searching for where to retire in North Carolina, here's a few reasons to consider Hendersonville NC real estate:

ARTS AND CULTURE

Rich with stimulating culture, Hendersonville's Flat Rock Playhouse and the Blue Ridge Community College host year round comedy, concerts and theatrical performances. The Flat Rock Playhouse is home to The State Theater of North Carolina. The seven piece Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra perform at festivals and at the Blue Ridge Concert Hall. For those who enjoy big band music and dancing, the 19-piece band Hendersonville Swing Band travels around the city for private and public performances at the Hendersonville High School. The Arts Council of Hendersonville County continually offers high quality art exhibits on Main Street in downtown. Since 1966, the Hendersonville Little Theater has hosted more intimate theatre performances in an adorable renovated barn. The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design is located at the UNCA Kellogg Center and center focuses on craft heritage. Both professional, national and international artists showcase their talent along the one mile public art trail which is an outdoor walking trail.

CLIMATE

At an elevation of 2,200 feet, the Hendersonville NC average winter temperature is in the low 40’s December through February. May through September, the average temperature ranges in the high 60’s to the low 70k’s. The average annual snowfall is 11 inches. When it does snow in Hendersonville, the snow quickly disappears from the warm sunshine. Hendersonville’s valley is part of the eastern thermal belt providing moderate year round weather and the region has four mild seasons.

LIFELONG LEARNING CENTERS

Blue Ridge Community College is home to the Blue Ridge Center for Lifelong Learning (BRCLL), a campus atmosphere inspiring mature adults over age 50 at retirement. The EdVentures program includes off campus overnight field trips to popular cities for BRCLL enrollees.  The YouTheatre Education Center offers year round classes in dance and theater to students and adults of all ages. There are more than 50 civic clubs and local organizations to meet new friends and participate in community activities.

MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE

There are two hospitals in Hendersonville NC: Pardee Memorial Hospital and Park Ridge Health. Founded in 1953, Pardee Memorial Hospital has worked hard providing excellent customer service and has been voted in the top 1% nationally for patient trust and confidence. The hospital’s specialties include cancer care, imaging, home health care, rehabilitative services and adult day care. The hospital is also a teaching hospital affiliated with the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville. Park Ridge Health offers fast track emergency services, orthopedics, sleep disorders and sports medicine. 

RECREATIONAL SPORTS

In addition to exploring DuPont State Forest, there are 16 miles of hiking trails along the Green River near rustic mountain homes. Bat Cave is located in the Hickory Nut Gorge and is the longest cave in North America. Strenuous hiking trails are open during the summer months. There are a number of award winning public and private championship golf courses in Hendersonville NC. At Patton Park, the city’s largest park has a public swimming pool, tennis, racquet ball and basketball courts along with the local YMCA. The Green River and Mills River provide excellent kayaking, canoeing and fishing opportunities. Mountain biking is also a popular sport near the Western North Carolina real estate developments. 

SHOPPING AND DINING

There are three major shopping malls in Hendersonville NC: Blue Ridge Mall, Highlands Square and Laurel Park Village. Big box stores include JC Penney, Sears, Belk, Wal-Mart Super Center along with brand name specialty stores. In historic Flat Rock, pastel colored Little Rainbow Row is where you’ll find eclectic shoppes and well known delicious casual restaurants. Downtown Hendersonville has 16 blocks on antique stores, tasty restaurants, coffee shops and unique boutiques. Historic Johnson Farm is one of the many farms and Farmer's Markets to shop at in the area. From April to December, the Hendersonville County Farmer’s Curb Market and the Hendersonville County Tailgate Market is where you’ll find organic produce, soaps, cheeses, herbs and homemade baked goods. 

HOME AFFORDABILITY AND TAXES

Hendersonville NC homes for sale average in the mid $100's. Hendersonville NC real estate is located in Henderson County. The estimated property tax millage rate is .0051 per $100. If you live within the city limits of Hendersonville, there is an additional estimated city tax of .0044 per $100. Visit our library to find help and to learn how to calculate property taxes in Henderson County North Carolina. If you're searching for where to retire in North Carolina, there are a number of Western North Carolina real estate developments we find of interest or we can find you larger land tracts on the edges of town, near DuPont State Forest. Did you know one third of the population in Henderson County is over 55 years old? We can also recommend a number of independent living, assisted living facilities and retirement communities catering to seniors.