The usual other stuff as well, if you know: 2 kids (school is important), cost of living, etc. We’d be looking to move in summer 2010 if it happens.
I lived in Charlottesville for 21 years. I raised 2 rug rats there. Tri scene is only ok. Great for biking with select hills and the blue ridge mountains. A few races within a same day drive, but most are in either Richmond or east of there toward Va Bch or north to DC area.
Housing is expensive due to the Univ of Va. Overall expenses aren’t too bad. For cheaper housing try a surrounding county, like Fluvanna or Greene, not the city or Albemarle Co.
Schools in Albemarle and the city are very good. The surrounding counties not that good since they are very rural.
I have a daughter near Lynchburg and my son lives in Charlottesville near the UVa Law School.
The town you should also consider is Chattanooga, TN. Great mountain biking, awesome road riding and a very good tri scene.
I can only speak to the mountain biking in Asheville. With trails like Tsali and Pisgah the mtb’ing is quite fun.
There is also a college in Asheville - UNC Asheville. I don’t know much about it but I assume that would bode well for the quality of primary education.
I’ve heard great things about Asheville, but never lived there. It sure is pretty.
I love Charlottesville. Lived here since 86 except for 6 army years. Great little town. Schools are superb. My three kids are in public school in the city. Wife is PTO president for one of the middle schools. Housing is pricier than it should be, but has been flat the last year. Good time to buy. University makes it pretty recession proof. Also brings in good restaurants, bands, speakers, culture, etc. Great health care. Very livable place. No traffic. No crime. Half an hour from the Jeff National Forest and Blue Ridge Parkway where there is good hiking, camping, trails, fly-fishing (but I’m sure that Asheville has it beat in terms of the Mountains). Two hours from D.C. On the Amtrack rails for points north and south and one hour from I-95. Three hours from ocean water.
I strongly suspect the mountain bike scene is better in Asheville. But there are some trails in town and good ones not far out. There are a few roadie clubs and both a C’ville and UVa tri club. That community is small. But, great facilities here (UVA pool is spectacular; local swim clubs are pretty reasonable; public pools are fine); You can head five miles out of town in any direction and be on open two lane country roads. Lots of rolling hills. Steeper climbs are within riding distance if you seek them out (though I suspect Asheville has more hills). You have to work at it to find a flat ride, but you can if you head south and east. Two good local running stores. One really well established ten miler road race at the beginning of April and a newer marathon that is becoming popular. Little 5k/10ks every weekend it’s warm. At least four good local bike stores and a Performance store.
It’s definitely not San Diego, but there is a small community of endurance athletes here. There are only two local tris and an XTerra, but there are probably another dozen within an hours drive. Between the CRC roadies, the UVA groups and C’ville tri club and less structured groups, there are small group rides virtually each day of the week.
You’ve got two good choices, PM me if you want details about C’ville. .
In all honesty, paying a hair more for housing doesn’t bother me- this will be the last move until the kids head off to college (the girl is 5 and the son will be born in 2-3 weeks!). We’ve lived in 6 houses in 7 years of marriage (Army and some corporate moves).
I think Charlottesville has slightly better schools, though some of the high schools around Asheville are ranked really well in the state- believe Hendersonville has the highest in the area.
Being close to UVa might hurt a bit though- I’m A VT grad. Go Hokies!
If it were just me, I likely would have Chattanooga in the mix. I’ve been through a few times from 96-02 and liked it, and I hear it’s gotten nicer. My wife has family in the DC area, and my brother lives in Myrtle Beach and is looking at Asheville as well, hence the other 2.
Never lived in Asheville (live in Wake Forest), although we visit Asheville often and it has great road cycling with a good facility to swim at the down town Y…I am sure the mountain biking is great but not my thing. It is a pretty funky city, not your typical quaint mountain town which also makes it unique. NC in general has a great tri community with lot’s of races (check out setupevents.com NC trialthlon series), don’t know anything about Charlottesville…
Sitting just outside of Asheville as I type. Just got done climbing the Cherohallo and to little towns in NC and TN. Asheville is a GREAT little town for riding, that is for sure. I would think Charlottesville a better overall place to raise a family though.
rod,
enjoy it down there, that is an AWESOME area to ride for sure.
I do not know which way your political persuasion leans but Asheville is a very liberal city. Sort of a Carolina version of Berkley.
I am not saying that is bad or good, just letting you know. Personally, my wife and I love to visit Asheville. Great places to eat and they have a good music and festival scene. Very beautiful as well.
I’m good with that- as a family, we’re pretty centrist ;-).
Really, we need to go look at both places as they are now. I was born and lived in Charlotte, NC until age 11, and did my 1st stint of college at Virgina Tech, but it’s been 10 years- lots can change in a decade or 2. My wife has been to neither place. Ultimately, her and the kiddos must be happy for me to feel good- road trip this x-mas break!
I can only really speak for C’ville - visited Asheville and it is very nice, but that is as far as I know.
Believer had a pretty good description. Schools are mostly high quality, but depending on the age of your children there are some districts you would want to steer clear of, much like any places. Housing is high comparable to the southern part of the state, but has been sliding back to more sane levels with the recent economic downtown. Definitely a buyers market, and there are some really good values in certain areas (my neighbourghood is comparatively undervalued for the house you get and a great elementary school and middle school and a solid high school all nearby - we are easily 75-100K lower on comps than within C’ville).
Uva is primary employer (and associated hospital). Lots of growth with the military NGIS (??- hope I got that right) expanding here.
Business have seen a moderate amount of retraction lately, but there is still pretty good range of retail depending on you income level - WalMart to boutique. A lot of the proposed development of new retail sites seems to be on hold right now - again not too surprising.
Taxes are notably higher in the city than the county. POlitics is very left in the city, moderately left in the county now. That is a recent swing in the county, mostly as people left the city becasue of the higher costs.
Plan on car commuting - transit sucks. For a small town you can hit some nasty traffic since the town has grown its events without growing its infrastrcuture, so a football game and a concert can wreak havoc on local roads on a given night.
Tri club is in a good growth phase right now. Not huge, but a solid core is coming. We have a couple of people that are competetive enough to qualify for 70.3 worlds and Halfmax types of things. IM distance is just starting to grow for training here. Club is defnitely cycle focused - most people run with other programs, as there is a really active running community here. Swims are pretty much solo. If you are not with Uva then ACAC is your best best - two sites - one really good retired NC swim coach does great masters classes with them. Open water swims is pretty much out, as the parks have closed off the use of an actual certified open water swim course to the public. We are trying again to get access, but the county legal system keeps getting in the way. The bike and tri shop is making a conserted effort to do more as a tri shop in a limited market this year. Vastly improved.
Zipp is a bit off on his assessment of the racing - check out setup events virigina series - everythig is within a days drive - lots of races from April to October, and they keep expanding the series. Also, a lot of people will do White Lake (fast) or Duke (tough) without it being an onerous drive.
Again, PM me if you are coming up - I can at least introduce you to the new beer trail here!!
“I think Charlottesville has slightly better schools, though some of the high schools around Asheville are ranked really well in the state- believe Hendersonville has the highest in the area.”
Asheville High twice in Newsweeks top 100 high schools. As far as a poster claiming we have good swimming at the Y, well thats a stretch as competition for pool space is spreading things thin. This town needs and could support an aquatic center. One masters team has access to a local HS pool, but thats at 5:30 a.m…