To our chagrin, we have read where U-Haul recently has named North Carolina No. 3 among the “most-traveled to states” in its rankings (based on its latest data), meaning it is the third most-popular United States destination for folks who are relocating.

Probably to no one’s surprise, topping our Old North State in current move-to popularity in the U.S. are Texas (No. 1) and Florida (No. 2). 

Also upsetting, the U-Haul report ranked Asheville as the fourth-most-popular move-to destination in North Carolina. 

N.C.’s move-to cities ranked ahead of Asheville are Raleigh (No. 1), Greensboro (2) and Wilmington (3).

We think the Asheville area — despite its reputation for visual beauty (but now trash-strewn virtually everywhere) — is a less-than-wise choice for anyone to move to right now, as it suffers from high crime, a burgeoning homeless population, out-of-sight housing costs coupled with low wages and perceived quality-of-life issues resulting from the aforementioned problems, compounded by rapid development and, at times, horrific traffic congestion, and often-rude tourists.

Instead of moving to Asheville, for a better deal in North Carolina, we would heartily recommend Kinston, located in the east central portion of the state between Tick Bite and Wheat Swamp (and a bit to the south).

Admittedly, Kinston, often rated as the worst place to live in North Carolina, has extreme poverty and crime rates. With a crime index of 1 out of 100, residents have a 1 in 13 chance of being a crime victim annually. The economic decline and high unemployment make it a challenging place to live.

Also, Kinston has the third-highest unemployment rate in North Carolina. The city is nearly four times more dangerous than the national average. 

However, on the very bright side, in contrast to Asheville, Kinston housing costs are significantly lower than the national average, with affordable median home values (around $100k-$140k) and very low rents, making it one of North Carolina’s more budget-friendly areas for housing, though some specific neighborhoods and rental properties can vary. 

In Kinston, one can expect a median home value of roughly $139,000 and median rents around $1,000/month, with many rentals well below $1,000, though specific areas like Bedford have much higher values.  

As AI Overview noted on Jan. 13, “Moving to Kinston over Asheville might be better for those prioritizing significantly lower living costs, a slower pace, strong community revitalization, and a growing arts/food scene without Asheville’s major drawbacks like extreme housing costs, tourist congestion and heavy traffic, offering a more affordable, manageable Eastern N.C. experience compared to Asheville’s expensive, nature-rich-but-crowded mountain lifestyle.” 

So we’d advise folks to move to Kinston, instead of over-hyped Asheville.