Nine happy places

Asheville, N.C. While not a nation, Asheville has earned a singular reputation as the kind of city that Americans move to seeking their bliss. With a population of some 70,000, Asheville-ites enjoy many of the benefits of urban life (ethnic restaurants, a thriving arts scene) and relatively few of its drawbacks (traffic jams and high crime rates). As more people move there, though, locals fear that may change. Paradise is a moving target. DISCUSS What destinations make you happy? GLOBE Analyzing happiness is a growth industry DISCUSS What would be on your bucket list?
Asheville, N.C.

While not a nation, Asheville has earned a singular reputation as the kind of city that Americans move to seeking their bliss. With a population of some 70,000, Asheville-ites enjoy many of the benefits of urban life (ethnic restaurants, a thriving arts scene) and relatively few of its drawbacks (traffic jams and high crime rates). As more people move there, though, locals fear that may change. Paradise is a moving target.

(Chris Keane/The New York Times/File, Text by Eric Weiner/Globe Correspondent)