Space and a slower pace draw homebuyers to Leicester
While the pronunciation of Leicester is a heated debate, with some saying “Les-ter” and others saying “Lei-ses-ter,” many agree on the community’s main draws. The Buncombe County enclave offers country living and mountain views in the rolling hills northwest of Asheville. “There are lots of farmers out there,” says Alexandra Schrank , a Realtor with Re/Max Executive who’s lived in Asheville for 15 years. “I have a friend who bought 40 acres in Leicester. They have a hemp farm. They love it out there. It’s so gorgeous.” Leicester’s residents are close-knit, with children often attending the same schools and a vibrant community center at its heart. The enclave puts residents in reach of parks and trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the culture and cuisine of Asheville , which is only about 11 miles away.
A variety of single-family homes in the countryside near Asheville
Whether looking for a secluded single-family home in the woods, a farm with several acres or a bucolic subdivision, homebuyers have options in Leicester. Architecture is diverse, ranging from ranch-style homes and farmhouses to neotraditional designs and new construction. The Ridge, a gated community off Bear Creek Road, is sought-after for its custom luxury homes on one-acre lots, while the Craftsman homes in the private Mountain View Acres community have views of mountains in the distance.
The median price for a single-family home in Leicester is around $390,000, slightly below the national median. Most homes fall between $300,000 and $875,000. However, particularly large custom homes and farmsteads start around $1 million and can exceed $2 million.
Buncombe County's education options from prekindergarten to university
Buncombe County Schools receives an A-minus overall rating from Niche and has 45 schools serving more than 22,000 students. Most homes in Leicester are zoned for Leicester Elementary, Joe P. Eblen Intermediate, Clyde A. Erwin Middle and Clyde A. Erwin High, which all earn B-minus ratings. The high school offers a career academy, which features a week-long job shadowing experience.
Asheville offers private schools, such as the A-plus-rated French Broad River Academy, and higher education. The University of North Carolina Asheville and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College are about 10 miles away.
Events, classes and markets at Leicester Community Center
The Leicester Community Center has been a focal point of community and youth programming for generations. In addition to having rentable meeting space and recreational amenities, it offers a packed calendar that includes monthly Community Art Nights, where residents can participate in various craft projects, and weekly adult movement classes, which welcome dancers of all skill levels. More than 30 vendors set up tents at the Leicester Farmers Market, held at the community center every Wednesday evening from May through October.
Exploring the great outdoors in Buncombe County and beyond
The Asheville region is known for its outdoor activities, from scenic hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains to whitewater rafting along the French Broad River. The Harmon Den Wildlife Management Area, which is part of Pisgah National Forest, is fewer than 30 miles from Leicester and offers horseback riding trails and campsites. Ledges River Park provides kayakers with an access point for the French Broad River. The park is one of the few riverside green spaces to reopen after Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The grounds of Leicester Community Center feature a playground, basketball court, baseball field and walking path. Nearby, the Leicester Branch Library is home to the Leicester Library Giving Garden, where volunteers tend to a garden, a pollinator habitat and an orchard. In 2023, the garden cultivated more than 1,100 pounds of produce for the community.
There are a few stores, but most shopping is done in Asheville
Shops and restaurants dot state Route 63, also known as New Leicester Highway, between Leicester and Asheville. The family-owned Grateful Roots Market & Deli is a popular stop for lunch and groceries. “You can go there and get locally grown food and local soap – all types of stuff, including hemp and CBD,” Schrank says. Restaurants include Salty Goat Grill, a relaxed spot for American fare, and Shorties Drive-thru BBQ, which offers walk-up and drive-through service for brisket sandwiches and barbecue plates. Asheville offers boutique shopping downtown and name-brand shopping around the Asheville Mall, Western North Carolina’s largest indoor shopping mall with more than 100 stores. Ingles Markets is the closest grocery chain, about 5 ½ miles from the center of Leicester. The nearest full-service hospital, Mission Hospital, is about 13 miles away.
Leicester is a car-dependent community
Commuters in Leicester take two-lane country roads to reach state Route 63, also called New Leicester Highway, which heads east into Asheville and west into the mountains. Two major North Carolina highways meet in Asheville, Interstates 40 and 26. I-40 crosses the state west to east, while I-26 goes north towards the Virginia border and south into South Carolina. The closest bus stops for Asheville Rides Transit are near the Ingles Markets off New Leicester Highway. Asheville Regional Airport is a little over 20 miles from Leicester.
Important to know
According to FEMA's National Risk Index, Buncombe County’s risk for hurricanes is relatively low. However, the region continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, which caused devastating landslides and flooding throughout Western North Carolina in 2024. Schrank notes that Leicester fared well in the storm and did not experience nearly as much damage as hard-hit communities like Asheville. Many creeks flow through Leicester, and FEMA flood maps indicate that some properties along these waterways face a flood risk.
