Black Mountain : North carolina

Located in the Swannanoa Valley, Black Mountain is a recreational, homey town in North Carolina, not that far from Asheville. Hiking, biking, golf, gallery-hopping, and swimming are some of the main activities here. The town has a reputation as being an artistic town that attracts weekenders, vacationers, and retirees who tilt toward the liberal side. There is a nice downtown with quaint shops and B & Bs.  It is known as the "Front Porch of Western North Carolina". Photo of mountains and lake courtesy of townofblackmountain.org; photo of Black Mountain Downtown Historic District courtesy of Wikipedia and Bill Fitzpatrick.

There are plenty of nice areas in town, many of which include a lot of quaint country cottages.
According to Zillow, the median home value was $265,200, in early 2019.

Black Mountain has a famous 747 yard par 6 course, one of the longest in the world. It also has a reputation for being an artistic, liberal small town in the mountains.

Folks looking for a small town that embraces the arts and is on the quaint side will like Black Mountain.

Tourism, the medical center, and a bit of manufacturing

Black Mountain has over forty restaurants, as well as a historic downtown, craft stores, and nightly music. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is a local attraction, along with the Swannanoa Valley Museum.