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North Carolina’s Most Charming Small Town is ‘Lively’

Small towns are always charming places to visit, no matter the season, but driving across American and experiencing the small towns that the country has to offer just feels extra…

Small towns are always charming places to visit, no matter the season, but driving across American and experiencing the small towns that the country has to offer just feels extra good in the summer months. Thankfully, this state has so many fantastic small towns, some of them very popular and others more secret. Whether visiting a small town that's packed with tourists or off the radar, it's always the perfect time to head to a small town.

A Charming Small Town

Love Exploring has a feature out about most charming small towns in each state. It really sheds some positive light on these small communities and what they have to offer. In the piece, they named the most charming small city in every state, being "places that offer the culture, charm, and character of the big hitters, but at a far more laid-back pace."

A small town is also referred to as an "incorporated place," and according to the U.S. Census, "About 76% of incorporated places have fewer than 5000 people and about a third of those have less than 500 people." While it might seem like small towns are becoming more popular across the U.S., that's correct for certain areas, but according to the U.S. Census, "On average, small cities and towns, with populations of less than 5,000 people, have seen uneven growth across U.S. regions."

The report adds that since 2010, the population in large southern cities has grown by an average of 11.8%, but in the West, small towns saw the largest growth with an increase of 13.3%. Small towns also decreased in the Northeast and Midwest and increased in the South, according to the same report.

Now, let's get to North Carolina. Love Exploring raves about Ashville, which is a famous spot. "Asheville blends a lively arts scene – brimming with galleries, studios, and museums – with striking architecture and a thriving food and craft beer culture. But city life is only half the story," Love Exploring states. They also mention that it's set against the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, which is another bonus.

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.