While I’ve written about retiring in NC in the past, choosing a specific location is easier to work with. North Carolina is 53,819.2 sq mi of variety; from ancient mountain ranges to the Atlantic coast, from rural homesteads to big city living, it’s a diverse and exciting state.
I can’t say where you’re moving from or whether Brevard is the right retirement locale for you, but I can offer insights into the quality and cost of living with more accuracy than a broad state view.
Let’s start with the fundamentals before we dive into financials. Why (or why not) should you consider retiring in Brevard?
Located at the entrance of Pisgah National Forest, Brevard is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Many are drawn to this small town (as in, under 8,000 people) by the magnetic forests and waterfalls. But it’s hardly isolated.
Brevard offers a number of cultural attractions, from art galleries to the Brevard Music Center and the Transylvania County’s Heritage Museum. Known as a city of artists, it has more people working in media than 90% of America. It has a lively downtown with numerous activities for retirees and families alike. And, being a college town, Brevard is flush with fun events and offers a cosmopolitan feel for its size.
At the same time, Brevard is close to Asheville and Hendersonville and less than an hour from the border of South Carolina, allowing for daytrips and participation in the larger community.
For those who are drawn to nature, there’s no matter where the state is. Transylvania County is nicknamed the “Land of Waterfalls” and is surrounded by many parks and natural sights, including:
Another key consideration is safety. While Brevard already held a lower crime rate than the national average, it’s continued to decline since 2023.
Essentially, if you’re looking for a safe, mountain town feel with a short-drive to population centers and outdoor recreation alike, Brevard should be on your top 5 list of towns to retire to.
Every community has its pros and cons. While there’s much to enjoy in Brevard, it does suffer from the same challenges of all small communities: Limited healthcare access, high housing prices, and flood risks are all relevant to retirees looking to move to Brevard. For those interested in working part-time: A weaker than average job market can also be a stressor.
However, these may or may not deter you, depending on your current circumstances and portfolio. A Calirofnian-native living in Los Angeles and selling their home for $1,000,000 will find the median housing cost of $598,575 in Brevard manageable. A fit 70-year-old with arthritis and diabetes, but no other health complications, can get by without travelling to Asheville or Hendersonville for regular visits.
These expenses must be factored into your retirement plan, and every location will have its own set of costs.
The financial suitability of Brevard depends on where you live today. One of the easiest cost changes to gauge is taxes. At the time of writing, the Transylvania Economic Alliance describes the tax obligations in Brevard as:
That said, it’s important to note that social security income isn’t taxed but withdrawals from retirement accounts are. Before any deductions, a two-person household in Brevard earning $56,000 annually—split between social security and retirement accounts—may pay $425 in state income taxes.
That said, the cost of living in Brevard is 6% better than the rest of the nation, at the time of writing. It is 3% more expensive than North Carolina as a whole.
It can be hard to visualize that data without examples. Let’s look at three comparisons: one in-state and two out-of-state locations popular with retirees:
I’m not retired (yet) but I did move to Brevard when considering how I wanted to spend my golden years. I’ve lived across the United States, and at this point, I knew what I was looking for: Nature, ease of living, and balanced quality of life.
I can’t say that Brevard is for everyone, but it is worth looking at. If you’d like help navigating your retirement path in North Carolina and beyond, book a complimentary session with me today. As the only fiduciary advisor in Brevard, I am legally bound to give you objective advice rather than push a sale. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Schedule a call with me at your convenience.
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or call me at +1 (828) 884-8840.
