Metro Charlotte vs. Raleigh-Durham (Triangle) (expensive, live, better, places)

[The Right Side_TX]

Can't believe there's really any debate here. While I admire the Civic pride of those folks from Raleigh on here, Charlotte takes the cake. I'm familiar with both areas, but fail to see what the triangle offers over Charlotte... When I have family/friends in town and they ask to go to a "city" where do you think I take them... Charlotte is a destination, Raleigh not so much. I'll admit I'm bias though... I've watched Charlotte change drastically over the years. So much has changed downtown from new museums, to offices, sporting venues, mass transit, a major boom in urban living, etc... Comparing Charlotte of 1998 to 2010 is night n day. Triangle of 1998 vs 2010, eh just not seeing it. While that area has grown considerably, it's just not on par. Raleigh may be the capital of North Carolina, but Charlotte is the capital of the Carolina's.

[seanm83]

Check this out:




Now, if you take the 7 most relevant counties out of the Charlotte CSA (Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, York, Gaston, Union, Lincoln, and Iredell) you get a population of 2,145,782. With Raleigh-Durham CSA (7 counties) you get 1,742,816. That is 400,000 more people in an area the same size if not SMALLER than RDU. If you look at the maps and pick out the counties I did (which are relevant I didn't just pick randomly) they are very similar in size. Now to me it seems like common sense that Charlotte, being the larger metro, would cover a slightly larger area. I'm not saying I think Alexander, Anson, Chester SC and Chesterfield SC should be considered part of the CSA. Catawba could probably go too. But southern Rowan, western Stanly(at least SW) and eastern Cleveland (Kings Mountain) sounds about right. Also the northern tip of Lancaster SC should as well. Now I know they don't break the CSA boundaries down that far but if u add Lancaster, Stanly, Rowan, and Cleveland to the 7 I just mentioned you get 2,519,549. I know that is very generous, the true CSA would probably be over the 2,145,782 figure and less than 2,350,000 or so. Raleigh-Durham might sprawl slightly over the 7 county CSA as well, so if you take the 13 county extended? number of 2,167,000 and throw out Warren, Vance maybe, and Moore I think is fair, I don't know about Person, never been, but you get around 2,000,000 give or take. So I think it's fair to say about a 400,000 difference is about right.

[seanm83]

Maybe I just feel like Charlotte is underrepresented in state government and that influences my attitude about these things, I seriously think there would be no contest in NC if Charlotte were the capital. The 2 areas are comparable though, I don't think Charlotte is in a completely different league, but if the 2 cities are in the same league, Charlotte has the advantage imo, the area has more to offer over all, yes they each offer different things that the other doesn't have, but I am talking about the overall big picture. And I'm not talking about day trips I'm just talking about amenities, attractions, things residents and visitors can do even when they are not at school or work.

[adavi215]

Here is an interesting article that is documenting Charlotte's struggle and response to this recession. Many people cite how bad Charlotte economy has been, but this article states how stronger Charlotte's economy has become since the recession.
Brookings study cites Charlotte’s economic struggles | Charlotte Business Journal

[adavi215]

Well, I guess the Triangle really is smarter than Charlotte.

Durham, Raleigh ahead of Charlotte in brainpower? | Charlotte Business Journal

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by adavi215

Well, I guess the Triangle really is smarter than Charlotte.

Durham, Raleigh ahead of Charlotte in brainpower? | Charlotte Business Journal

This really isn't news. It's just updated information for what has already been the case for some time now.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by ct36

I voted Charlotte. This is just my own OPINION so don't get mad at me, haha. But I pretty much hate Raleigh. I have been there multiple times and have even lived there for a little over a year, but I was really young (but I still sort of am, haha). First of all, There's not really a reason for me to go to Raleigh. There are a lot of reasons to go to Charlotte, however. First I'll start with shopping. In my opinion, you can't even compare shopping in Raleigh to Charlotte. I have been to The Streets at SouthPoint, but I have seen pictures of Triangle Town and Crabtree and I know what stores they have, and they're pretty much a joke compared to SouthPark. Crabtree pretty much has no boutiques. Don't count that fake Louis Vuitton in the middle of Saks at the least upscale mall with a Saks It seems like Raleigh is where a lot of the jobs are, but I honestly don't think there's a reason to move there unless you get a good job or are going to college. Pretty much everybody I know hates Raleigh. It depressed me. Not sure why, haha, but It did. I do like the trees going down Glenwood towards downtown, but it doesn't work as good as it does on Fairview
And I'm younger too, and I don't understand why young people like Raleigh. It just seems like a place that would rain all the time, and Charlotte seems like a place where it would be sunny all the time. These are my own opinions of both cities, and I have the right to express my opinions. I don't know I just don't want to get hated on for saying that I hate Raleigh, haha.

I have heard a lot of people say Raleigh has superior nightlife to Charlotte. It probably has something to do with Raleigh being more liberal and Charlotte being more conservative (Bible belt).

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by bchris02

I have heard a lot of people say Raleigh has superior nightlife to Charlotte. It probably has something to do with Raleigh being more liberal and Charlotte being more conservative (Bible belt).

I think it's funny how people try to make Charlotte look bright red when it's actually politically moderate. Plus, politics really don't have much to do with it. How about demographics? Could the large college population in the Triangle have something to do with that perception? And at any rate, I've heard other people say the opposite. For instance, people who come down to Charlotte for CIAA from the Triangle say it's a far superior event in Charlotte, particularly due to the nightlife. I've not yet had the opportunity of going out in Raleigh yet, but being able to ride LYNX to attend a Bobcats game, chill at the Epicenter or stroll Tryon or College afterwards, check out any of the venues there, and then hop on light rail to get back home just gives nightlife in Charlotte a vibe and energy that I know you can't get in Raleigh.

[carolinablue]

I know the Triangle as a whole is more liberal than the Charlotte area, but is Raleigh itself more liberal than Charlotte? I have heard good things about nightlife in the Triangle, but I would think Charlotte has an edge by being the main city in it's region.

[adavi215]

This is actually a first. I've never heard of Raleigh having a more "superior" night life than Charlotte. Maybe, in the early 2000s Greensboro was the nightlife capital of NC. But I think Charlotte has that title now. But that's just IMHO.