Despite Helene, Readers Digest named this North Carolina city the ‘Nicest Place in America’

Helene hit Asheville especially hard last year, but a new list from Readers Digest named the western NC city the “nicest place in America.”

One year after Tropical Storm Helene devastated the western North Carolina region, a popular publication named Asheville 2025’s the “nicest place in America.”

Reader’s Digest publishes ideas, stories and experiences “in health, home, family, food, finance and humor.” Available online at RD.com, in print and on other digital platforms, the publication produces a yearly list of the “nicest places in America.”

READ MORE: I visited western NC for the first time since Helene. Here are 10 things to do now that it’s reopening

Reader’s Digest describes its “nicest places in America” list as “a national search for places defined by kindness, community spirit and respect.” In 2025, Asheville nabbed the top spot on the list. Here’s what the publication said about the town, plus the full list of winners and more.

Is Asheville, North Carolina, a ‘nice place’?

Asheville earned Reader’s Digest’s top honor for “extraordinary resilience and unwavering commitment to community,” particularly in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene’s devastation.

The town received a record number of nominations, “highlighting how its residents came together” following Helene. The publication praised the community’s response following the storm, “from grassroots relief efforts to neighbors helping neighbors,” noting that they “showcased a powerful culture of self-reliance and mutual aid that defines the city.”

 

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Reader’s Digest also praised the town’s vibrant arts and cultural scene, the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain scenery, and last but not least, an atmosphere of openness and tolerance.

“The Nicest Places initiative is about discovering and celebrating the kindness that binds our communities,” said Eric Gillin, Chief Brand Officer at Reader’s Digest, in a news release. “Asheville’s story is a profound example of how human connection can triumph over adversity. We are honored to spotlight a community that not only faced an unprecedented disaster but emerged with a stronger, more compassionate spirit.”

Nicest places in America 2025

The full list of Reader’s Digest’s nicest places of 2025 included:

• Asheville, North Carolina
• Semicolon Books, Chicago, Illinois
• Monroe, Louisiana
• Medina, Ohio
• Peru Amateur Circus, Peru, Indiana

Reporting by Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times / Asheville Citizen Times