Asheville is a North Carolina small town with verdant rolling hills and serene mountains, and, at the same time, the hub of the arts and culture scene. Its mild-all-year clime and friendly people make this place a top choice among retirees and seniors. Discover the best retirement communities in Asheville NC.
Independent living communities in Asheville enjoy the comfort and quiet of home yet fully embrace the sights and sounds of downtown life outside their gates. Our list of communities includes upscale to affordable lush settings in Asheville to its food scenes, recreation spots, and historical sites.
Here are our 12 best Retirement Communities in Asheville NC:
- Givens Estates
- Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community
- Ardenwoods Retirement
- Vista at Blacksmith Run
- Harmony at Reynolds Mountains
- Pinebrook Farms
- Cummings Cove
- Bella Vista Gracious Retirement
- Biltmore Lake
- Connestee Falls
- Lake Pointe Landing
- Crowfields Condominiums
12 Best 55+ Communities in Asheville NC
1. Givens Estates
It’s a beautiful 215-acre community surrounded by lush evergreen landscape up and over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Since their first occupants in 1979, Givens Estates has grown to become a Continuing Care Retirement Community.
While they offer independent living available in their apartments, cottages, and duplexes, their assisted living, nursing care, and rehabilitation are services in their other neighborhoods. The site, though, is more known for continuing care; they even have an 84-bed health care center.
Givens Estates house approximately 800 residents; prices start from $1,924 for assisted living.
Apart from the standard amenities for community homes, Givens also has the following:
- A bistro and restaurants for fine dining
- A Wellness Center with a pool & spa
- 300+ seat performing arts center
- 2000 sq ft. woodworking shop
- Greenhouse & arboretum
- Studios for pottery, crafts, and painting
- Walking/hiking trails
For more active recreation, there’s a croquet field, shuffleboard, and a bocce court.
Givens Estates is affiliated with the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Their philosophy in their expanded services and residential options is to minister to seniors from all walks of life more fully.
2. Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community
Deerfield Retirement Community is a not-for-profit Life Care community offering a full continuum of care including, independent and assisted living and skilled nursing in a 125-acre campus.
They have tastefully appointed 253 apartment homes for independent living from 800 to 2500 sqft. Prices start at $1,740. They are accessible to the community center and the health and wellness center through enclosed connectors.
There are also 96 cottages, 16 villas, and 13 cluster homes. An outstanding culinary staff provides healthy meals in different dining locales.
Some great amenities include:
- State-of-the-art aquatic center with warm water therapy, whirlpool, pool
- Nature walking trails
- Croquet court
- Putting green
- Reflection pond
- Spa for massage, acupuncture, skincare, and nail services
They offer exciting opportunities to volunteer (like garden planting and care) and explore the arts (painting, woodwork, ceramics). There’s also the modern St. Giles Chapel for weekly services, the heart of the community that also welcomes diversity of faith.
Living in Deerfield also means partaking in the vibrancy and thrill of life outside the community. They’re just minutes away from downtown Asheville, the zone for food and art lovers and culture enthusiasts.
Blue Ridge Parkway, America’s favorite drive, is a relaxing 469 miles long with rugged mountains and landscapes along the way. There are chances for camping, hiking, and concerts.
Then there’s Biltmore Estate, the Châteauesque-style mansion, the largest privately-owned house in the United States built for George Washington Vanderbilt II.
3. Ardenwoods Retirement
Welcome to Ardenwoods Retirement community, just 19 min (9.9 mi) via US-25 S/Hendersonville Rd from Asheville. The small-town intimacy offered by 48 acres of wooded grandeur and the serene Blue Ridge Mountains is just too hard not to feel.
Senior living at Ardenwoods, whether it is independent or assisted living, is an assurance of enjoying all its amenities. They offer 1, 2, and 3-bedroom options, starting at $2,500 price –with the usual yet first-class amenities and services. You’ll love the heated, indoor swimming pool, pottery room & kiln, and their delightful herb, vegetable & flower garden, and three woodland nature trails.
What’s great is their innovative dining program that allows flexible dining hours and menus when and where you want to enjoy them – dining room, grill spot, outside terrace, or your own room. Chef-created and ‘from scratch’ cuisine is from local farmers. Likewise, everybody is made active and busy with their planned social, cultural, recreational & spiritual activities and their Pathways Wellness Program.
Things to see around Ardenwoods? Plenty. Just 15 minutes away are downtown Asheville and Hendersonville, hubs of farm-to-table dining, many craft breweries, wineries, antique and jewelry shops, bookstores, and galleries. The cultural scene is just as vibrant. Find buildings and homes rich in history, theaters for performing arts, playhouses, and regional museums.
Now how about nature lovers and sports enthusiasts? Several parks dot the region, like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and DuPont State Forest with its majestic waterfalls. The area is also a golfing paradise, home to 17 of the finest courses in western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, and eastern Tennessee.
4. Vista at Blacksmith Run
If you’re looking for gated communities in Asheville NC, Vista at Blacksmith Run is a top choice. This active lifestyle community in Hendersonville has 180 craftsman-style single-family homes ranging from low $300s to mid $500s in cost. The gated community first started building in 2007 with different floor plans starting from 1,200 sqft. Most homes have:
- 2-car garages
- First-floor master suites
- Granite countertops
- Stainless appliances
- Walk-in closets
- Hardwood floors in common areas
- A clubhouse
- Outdoor pool with patio
- A fishing lake
- Walking trails
Common activities around the clubhouse are picnics and barbeques, and exercise sessions at the fitness center.
Vista at Blacksmith Run is just 7 miles away from Downtown Hendersonville for satisfying dining and shopping vibes that include:
- O’Charley’s
- Fireside Restaurant
- El Paso Two
- Walmart
- Ingles Market
- Aldi
- Home Depot
- Belk
- T.J. Maxx
- Joann Fabrics
Several good golf courses are accessible – Orchard Trace Golf Club, Bald Mountain Golf Course, and Lake Lure Golf Club. For fans of the great outdoors, the DuPont State Forest is perfect for the spectacular views and nature trails. Not to forget are the Blue Ridge Health and the Pardee Hospital for medical services.
5. Harmony at Reynolds Mountains
Offering spacious 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom apartments, companion suites, and studios, this new 169-unit community has 90 independent living units, while the rest are dedicated to assisted living and memory care services.
Those rooms have full-size kitchens, stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, and, of course, stunning views. You’ll find Harmony at the Reynolds Mountain Village, northern Asheville, with new residential and retail growth, and residents can enjoy chef-inspired dining with meal-planned options, their small pet companions, and lots of activities. The cost starts at $3,596.
Harmony is also within a 10-minute drive of the Omni Grove Park Inn, a resort famous for its spa; once voted one of the “Top Resort Spas in the U.S.” by Condé Nast Traveler. It also has a golf course, tennis court, and swimming pools. They also house a Sports Complex that offers yoga classes, fitness training, tennis clinics, and children’s programs. Enjoy shopping at their Vanderbilt Wing, and for an unforgettable outdoor experience, experience whitewater river rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, climbing, and zip-lining at their Nantahala Outdoor Center.
Harmony overlooks I-26. Remember, too, that one of the largest hospitals in Nevada State, the Mission Hospital, is just a 7-mile drive.
6. Pinebrook Farms
Pinebrook Farms is a 40-acre community of single-family homes designed to look like the America of yesteryears. The townhomes bring you back to the Arts & Crafts movement in the late 19th and early 20th century America.
However, the homes are beautifully customizable in a seemingly rural setting. It has 127 residences of single-family homes, townhomes, and carriage duplex homes, ranging from 1,248 to 2,983 square feet. Prices start at $395,000. The single-family types are either one-level or two-level, with 2-4 bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attached garage. Main level living is the focus of these low-maintenance homes.
The streets are quiet, lit with decorative street lamps, and there are underground utilities. There are wide, green, open spaces and walking trails along a creek. However, 12 acres are common spaces and in the very heart of it is the spacious community center with a clubhouse. It has a kitchen, a fully-equipped exercise room, a heated swimming pool, and a barbecue area. So much for country living.
What’s outside Pinebrook Farm? Grocery stores, restaurants, and banks surround the place. Only 15 minutes away is downtown Asheville and the Asheville Country Club to quench art and cultural pinning. Over at Weaverville, a couple of miles away, are antique stores, boutique shops and unique restaurants, and a good healthcare facility. There’s also the Blue Ridge Parkway and Beaver Lake for nature lovers.
7. Cummings Cove
A gated and award-winning community nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Hendersonville is enjoying a climate like no other – long springs and falls and short summers and winters – that makes Cummings Grove a retirement paradise to never leave.
The grove is about 3,000 feet in elevation, built in the mid-1990s. It occupies 650 acres of home styles and sizes that vary from golf villas to large custom homes and estate homes. You can take your pick of mountain view, wooded, and golf course lots. Prices range from $300,000 range to over $700,000.
However, the community is not all tranquility, as it has a busy 18-hole golf course with a clubhouse – the Cummings Cove Golf & Country Club – with its award-winning design, also houses a restaurant, grill place, and bar. There’s a separate sports complex – the new Cummings Cove Sports Complex – home to their:
- Fitness center
- Massage rooms
- Two water-based Hydro tennis courts
- One Decoturf tennis court
- A heated swimming pool and hot tub
Nearby is the Social Center, once a farmhouse, now restored, has a library, card rooms, and six acres of outdoor picnic areas. Social clubs abound in the community:
- Book clubs
- Sewing clubs
- Wine and dine club
- Fundraising events
About two-thirds of the property owners are year-round residents. Boredom is unheard of.
Outside Cummings Cove is no less exciting. Downtown Hendersonville is alive with unique restaurants, shops, galleries, museums, antique stores, and historical sites. And then there’s Brevard, a noted tourist destination, cultural center, and another coveted retirement region. And Asheville, of course, 30 minutes away.
8. Bella Vista Gracious Retirement
Bella Vista Retirement sits on the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains as a backdrop. They offer independent living and continuing care, and the monthly rent starts at $2,545.
They have a studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes designed from 40 different floor plans. Amenities include:
- Grand theater
- TV room with large screen television
- Comprehensive library
- Chapel for worship and bible studies
- Fitness center and craft room
- Available apartments for guests
Residents dine restaurant-style with chef-prepared, made-from-scratch meals. Best of all, Bella Vista managers live on-site, which makes them available 24/7 for any emergencies.
Walking paths and gardens allow people to have planned activities and events outside, apart from their exercise classes, parties, and indoor entertainment. There are many play activities, arts and crafts time, dress-up parties, and virtual tours.
A 21-seater coach for transportation is always ready, too. The community has a travel program that lets residents spend up to seven nights at 45 Hawthorn Group facilities across the US and Canada. They are provided with meals and can participate in programs and activities for no additional cost.
The closest amenities to Bella Vista are from .45 to 1.38 miles away. There are supermarkets and grocers, such as Whole Foods, and restaurants.
9. Biltmore Lake
When talking about retiring to Asheville, North Carolina, Biltmore Lake is an ideal spot. Near Asheville, a beautiful and stunning mountain lake community thrives on 1,300 acres at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
It’s the famous master-planned and gated community of Biltmore Lake, where residents of different neighborhoods crisscross paths via streets, sidewalks, trails, and common areas. The population is diverse, as diverse as the homes’ architectural styles, all age groups noted, yet they share a joy of the amenities of Biltmore.
Lake residents converge at the clubhouse overlooking the lake, with two hard tennis courts, a basketball court, and a children’s playground. A fishing dock and kayak/canoe boathouse is located lakeside. Around Biltmore, there are 4.2 miles of dedicated walking trails. Social clubs are common, such as ladies’ nights out, tennis leagues, progressive dinners, and fundraising activities.
Biltmore Lake’s location is near the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Village features retail shops, restaurants, and modern-day conveniences. Mission Hospital in Asheville is just 4 miles out. There are several good schools here as well.
Currently, more than 600 homes have been built, with 900 in the works. Check out the different neighborhoods in Biltmore. It is a retirement haven you’ve always dreamed of. Prices range from low $400s to the high $2Ms.
10. Connestee Falls
If you like retiring to a larger master-planned community with more home site choices and a private club feel, the gated Connestee Falls in Brevard is a wise choice. 1,300 homes sit on 3,900 acres of spectacular natural beauty with first-class recreational amenities. It’s owned and managed by the residents with a shared vision for natural environment preservation.
The attached homes range from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet and have two to four bedrooms. Detached residences are from 1,300 to more than 5,000 square feet and have two to five bedrooms. The price range is from mid $200s to high $1Ms.
The 26k square feet Overlook Clubhouse is the center of life. It’s got a banquet hall, dining and meeting rooms, state-of-the-art fitness center, and performance theater. There’s a sports grill, lounge, and bar. Outside of the clubhouse, you’ll find a heated pool, pickleball, bocce ball, and tennis courts. There is a community garden, walking and biking trails, lakes, waterfalls, and parks. Social clubs are plenty—about 60. Examples are:
- Camera club
- Chess club
- Golf association
- Table tennis group
- Ladies bridge
- Card gamers
- Pinochle
- Mah Jongg
- Dog-owner group
- Bible study group
What’s outside Connestee? For one, there’s Highway 276. A 20-minute drive away is downtown Brevard with its restaurants, retail shops, gas stations, banks, government offices, and grocery stores. Scenic 276 Fine Arts & Crafts Corridor offers 13-miles of galleries, shops, and studios. The Brevard Music Center is for classical music listening, and the Dupont State Forest is popular for its waterfalls, mountain lake, rivers, streams, and trails. Pisgah National Forest offers camping, hiking, horseback riding, and water activities.
11. Lake Pointe Landing Retirement
Located in Hendersonville, the community sits on 50 manicured acres with the Blue Ridge Mountains as a backdrop. Lake Pointe Landing exudes a five-star hotel-like aura with its tasteful interiors, exquisite halls and corridors, and lush to fine furnishings.
It offers three luxurious choices for independent living residents, including patio homes, independent living apartments, and privately owned villas. There are options for studio, 1-room, and 2-bedroom apartments. They have full kitchens and private bathrooms that are equipped with devices as pull chains for emergencies. Each option comes with multiple services and full access to wellness programs and general community amenities. Pricing starts at $5,014.
Residents enjoy bingo, billiards, movie nights, exercise classes, educational programs. Their fitness studio, library, and indoor pool, including a general store, are popular meeting points. Live entertainment, themed parties and local outings keep everyone busy. Additionally, a 24-hour emergency response system is in place for residents’ safety and well-being.
Hendersonville offers southern charm, beautiful views, parks, historical sites, and a quaint downtown. There’s the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Pisgah National Forest nearby for outdoor recreation. And a short drive away is Asheville, and all that it offers for fun and enjoyment.
12. Crowfields Condominiums
When it began in the early 70s in Asheville, Crowfields has been the leader in condominium living in Western North Carolina. About 192 attached homes sit on 72 acres of its woodlands, meadows, and ponds; a creek meanders through this community to the French Broad River. There are wildlife, mature oaks, and pines around this parkland, making it a diverse and thriving setting for independent living.
The condominiums are grouped in clusters of 4 to 8 homes of high standard wood and stone. There are two basic floor plans – townhouse and villa, ranging from 1,300 to 3,600 square feet. Homes can have one to three levels, and generally, two or three bedrooms, two or two-and-a-half bathrooms, and parking throughout the community.
Owners themselves remodel and customize their spaces, creating uniquely different interiors. The Condominium Association maintains the grounds and greenery. Prices are relatively affordable at this master-planned and gated community compared to other communities: High $100s – Mid $300s.
Are you looking for condos for lease? There may be a 3 bedroom/2 bath one-level condo for lease for a minimum of one year. Unit is unfurnished, with a gas fireplace, all kitchen appliances, washer/dryer, screened-in deck overlooking a pond, two parking spaces, and a full basement for storage. The monthly lease of $2,200 includes all utilities except cable/internet. Renters must be 55 or older.
What is the Crowefields lifestyle like? Neighbors have ways to explore new interests and passions. There’s the clubhouse, library, arts & crafts studio, gardening plots, and an outdoor heated pool. Other activities are Tai Chi, water aerobics, holiday events, social activities, catered dinners, day trips, and Mah Jongg. Attractions outside Crowesfields Condominiums are inviting and include:
- A shopping center
- Several restaurants
- A grocery store
- Banks
- Interstate 40
- The Oaks at Sweeten Creek hospital
- The Asheville Regional Airport
- Downtown Asheville and history-rich Biltmore
Conclusion: 12 Best 55+ Communities Asheville NC
What are the top 12 retirement communities in Asheville NC? To review, here are our picks again:
- Givens Estates
- Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community
- Ardenwoods Retirement
- Vista at Blacksmith Run
- Harmony at Reynolds Mountains
- Pinebrook Farms
- Cummings Cove
- Bella Vista Gracious Retirement
- Biltmore Lake
- Connestee Falls
- Lake Pointe Landing
- Crowfields Condominiums
The list goes on for other noteworthy senior and independent living communities in Asheville and neighboring Hendersonville, Arden, Flat Rock, Brevard, and others. Our list cups the most cited and highly ranked among many. Others we did not include are sites solely offering assisted living and care homes.
If you are looking to retire in Asheville, you will experience the natural beauty of mountains, lakes, and evergreens that create a stunning backdrop to quiet 55+ community living. But within and beyond the gates are attractions and amenities beckoning active and vibrant participation. Asheville and its environs do not disappoint.