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I am trying to figure out which area would be the best fit for me without actually being there. I am looking to move to the Tri-city area of North Carolina or Seattle. If you have lived in one or both of these areas, I'd love your feedback. Even if you haven't, I'd love to read your input.
A bit about me:
Teacher
Single, early 30's
Running
Somewhere with:
Great outdoors, coffee, friendly people, no killer pollen, and has that unique personal feel. (whatever that means.)
Thank you all for any feedback. If you have any other living suggestions; please feel free to mention them.
I am trying to figure out which area would be the best fit for me without actually being there. I am looking to move to the Tri-city area of North Carolina or Seattle. If you have lived in one or both of these areas, I'd love your feedback. Even if you haven't, I'd love to read your input.
A bit about me:
Teacher
Single, early 30's
Running
Somewhere with:
Great outdoors, coffee, friendly people, no killer pollen, and has that unique personal feel. (whatever that means.)
Thank you all for any feedback. If you have any other living suggestions; please feel free to mention them.
Based on your stated criteria, both are good spots but Seattle is the winner, however it is more expensive to live there. Being a runner myself the Triangle has plenty of greenways with the Neuse River Trail a good one to use if you are on that side of town. Seattle is much more urban than the Triangle and doesn't have as many options but of course you can just run the streets. the Triangle has its urban areas as well (parts of Raleigh, Durham) but is more suburban and offers more space. It depends on how much you can spend and what your home lifestyle is like. Both places will have coffee with Seattle having more options, it being larger than the Triangle. Both areas have access to outdoors, both are friendly areas. Seattle has a little more of its own brand, given that Raleigh is a mesh of transplants and NC culture. Both are liberal areas. If you're a teacher, you'll earn less in NC, but you'll also pay less in NC. Good luck!
edit: I'm not as familiar with Seattle, but more familiar with the Triangle. look for someone who knows Seattle as I may be wrong about the place
Based on your stated criteria, both are good spots but Seattle is the winner, however it is more expensive to live there. Being a runner myself the Triangle has plenty of greenways with the Neuse River Trail a good one to use if you are on that side of town. Seattle is much more urban than the Triangle and doesn't have as many options but of course you can just run the streets. the Triangle has its urban areas as well (parts of Raleigh, Durham) but is more suburban and offers more space. It depends on how much you can spend and what your home lifestyle is like. Both places will have coffee with Seattle having more options, it being larger than the Triangle. Both areas have access to outdoors, both are friendly areas. Seattle has a little more of its own brand, given that Raleigh is a mesh of transplants and NC culture. Both are liberal areas. If you're a teacher, you'll earn less in NC, but you'll also pay less in NC. Good luck!
edit: I'm not as familiar with Seattle, but more familiar with the Triangle. look for someone who knows Seattle as I may be wrong about the place
There is something that attracts me to the Triangle, even though I don't know what it is. Do you have any information about the Cary area. I have been hearing more about that place, but unaware of what it truly offers.
Have you looked into the salary differences of both places?
Yes, Seattle offers a higher teacher salary than North Carolina. I just do not know if it all works out to be somewhat the same when you include other living expenses. I've heard you need to make about 80,000 to live well in Seattle. That is more than, I think, the Triangle requires. There are a lot of variables that impact the salary like district and if the school is public or not.
I'd pick Raleigh/Durham for sure. I have visited Seattle many times and have lots of family in the Triangle Area. Raleigh/Durham's buying power (cost of living vs. average annual income) is much better, it's sunnier, it doesn't have the social/rioting issues that Seattle has, people seem happier/friendlier than in Seattle.
There is something that attracts me to the Triangle, even though I don't know what it is. Do you have any information about the Cary area. I have been hearing more about that place, but unaware of what it truly offers.
I'm a bit more familiar with Durham and Chapel Hill than Raleigh/Cary, but Cary is an excellent place to live. I don't know what level you teach at but Cary's schools are run through Wake County Schools, which is a very good district with good schools in Cary. It's a little expensive compared to other areas but still less than Seattle. There are greenways in Cary for running as well, so there's that. If you're looking for more urban, maybe even city living then Raleigh or Durham would be your best choice, but Cary has its merits and it is a great place to live.
I won’t get into Seattle much, but I’ll add some thoughts on the Triangle (not Tri-cities; confusingly there is a Triad about an hour west but it’s it’s own thing). Cary is located in the middle of the Triangle with easy access to Durham, Raleigh, and the Research Triangle Park. While it’s making moves to work on the downtown, and it’s heart it is a suburban nirvana overplayed over a small town and farmland. And thanks to it’s location desirability, it is one of the most expensive areas in the Triangle.
The two best school districts in the Triangle are Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Wake County. The cost in Chapel Hill forces a lot of teachers to live in Durham and Chatham counties, while Johnston is a popular commuting place for Wake County. But Wake is big enough that you can find a good price in some of the outlying areas (Holly Springs, Garner, Wake Forest) if unable to afford a more central place.
The outdoors is plentiful, definitely Piedmont chic though with woods and lakes for good and ill. Umstead State Park is conveniently in-between North Raleigh and Cary, and both the Neuse River Trail and the Tobacco Trail are accessible stretches that cut through the region. Pollen is a thing though, forcing me to Benadryl myself one week a year.
I have to imagine Seattle wins the coffee wars, though roasteries have gotten better hear and Counter Culture wholesaler has kind of transformed the market.
Seattle has become one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Throw in the awful weather and this should be an easy win for North Carolina.
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