From Malvern Hills to Craggy Park & Bent Creek: Comparing West Asheville's Top Neighborhoods

Falconhurst & Craggy Park

While most know the lively Haywood District for its restaurants like Sunny Point and Biscuit Heads (aka culinary beacons in the community), the region from Louisiana Ave to Mitchell and Druid Avenues, and bordered by Haywood and Patton Avenues running north and south, is a neighborhood known as Falconhurst. Many of the historic bungalows that are iconic for West Asheville are located in this region. The neighborhood’s roots trace back to the mid 1800s, when an individual named Falconhurst built a property on Blue Ridge Ave. Later on, Rutherford Platt Hayes, the third son of President Rutherford B. Hayes, lived in Asheville and owned land on Deaver View Mountain and Falconhurst in the late 1890s. 

Today, the 8-acre Falconhurst Natural Area is designated as a trail system and conservation area directly adjacent to the Craggy Park development and the Haywood District. Plans are in place for its walking trails to ultimately link with Asheville’s larger greenway network. This West Asheville Green Community also plans to incorporate 45 green-built homes that blend modern styles with arts and crafts.While home lots are available for purchase, a number of homes along Orrinel Way have already sold. Homes are Energy Star and GreenBuilt certified, utilizing low and no-VOC materials, daylighting techniques, low-flow plumbing fixtures, durable materials, and more. The homes are also connected to a neighborhood park with a nature trail, a mountain stream, organic gardens, a fire pit, and a picnic area. 

Malvern Hills

For those looking to spread out a little more, Malvern Hills is a well-established enclave. The historic Malvern Hills community, located northeast of Enka/Candler, encircles Malvern Hills Park, which includes tennis and pickleball courts, a playground, picnic tables & picnic shelter, and a paved walking path. While closed for construction until 2028, the Malvern Hills pool is another popular amenity of this neighborhood. Most homes in the neighborhood are also just a few blocks from Haywood Road, a vibrant West Asheville thoroughfare prized for its award-winning restaurants, eclectic shops, and art galleries. While Malvern Hills’ development began in 1925 and continued until the 1970s, the area around Malvern Hills was originally known for its Sulphur Springs, which were thought to have medicinal properties. It became a popular destination from the mid-1800s through the early 1900s, and a hotel was even built nearby because of the high number of visitors seeking the springs’ healing waters. While only the remnants remain in the now fully residential neighborhood (visible from School Road), the restorative reputation that characterized Asheville is still felt today, with its alluring fresh air, natural beauty, and rejuvenating climate.

Bent Creek

Bent Creek, a neighborhood built amidst the oldest experimental forest east of the Mississippi River (the Bent Creek Experimental Forest), is in a prime location for some of the best mountain biking in the country. Encompassing nearly 6,000 acres, the Forest includes 30 miles of singletrack and doubletrack trails, utilized for mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. Most homes in this neighborhood were built between the 1950s and 1980s, making brick ranch-style the most prevalent. Bent Creek is also conveniently located beside the North Carolina Arboretum, Lake Powhatan Recreation Area, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Asheville Tanger Outlet malls—blending ample opportunities for outdoor adventure with shopping.

Candler: Just Beyond West Asheville

Many people group Candler with West Asheville, but it is actually its own town. Situated just west of West Asheville, Candler is home to the sprawling Buncombe County Sports Park, which incorporates nine soccer fields, a dog park, picnic shelters, Sand Hill Community Garden, an urban orchard, walking paths, a disc golf course, and sand volleyball courts. Candler’s rural countryside feel is a large part of its appeal for residents. Average lot sizes are well beyond those found in the Historic West Asheville area or closer to downtown Asheville. Average acreage ranges from over a quarter acre to a couple of acres for residential lots. One popular luxury community located in the Enka/Candler area, Biltmore Lake, offers luxury homes on the Lake, which can include lots of nearly an acre or more. 

Cost of Living + Practicalities

Living in West Asheville offers a unique trade-off. While the cost of living is often higher than in more rural towns like Leicester or Candler, the "walkability score" hits the highest marks in the city -- especially in areas where you'd find the classic West Asheville bungalow right off of Haywood Road. Many residents find that owning only one car is possible, creating transportation savings. While the lot sizes of a West Asheville home for sale are not what one would find in more rural towns like Candler, the convenience of West Asheville far outweighs land limitations for those who call it home.

West Asheville: A Standout Community to Settle Down

Feeling confident in which neighborhood you’ll call home? Whether you are looking for a bungalow in Malvern Hills, a classic ranch in Bent Creek, or a custom cabin in Candler with acreage, West Asheville offers a unique flair and sense of place that is hard to find anywhere else in the South. Reach out to our team at GreyBeard to start writing your next chapter in one of the novel communities of West Asheville!