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My family and I are looking to move in the next year and North Carolina is on our list of places we would like to relocate to. What would you suggest as a great small coastal town to move to with good schools (Middle school and high school)? I would prefer warm year-round and not to use the heater at all, if possible. We need to be a short commute from medical facilities for work. I prefer somewhere where we can bike or walk to where we need. Small communities with 5,000 or less people would be ideal. Any suggestions?
My family and I are looking to move in the next year and North Carolina is on our list of places we would like to relocate to. What would you suggest as a great small coastal town to move to with good schools (Middle school and high school)? I would prefer warm year-round and not to use the heater at all, if possible. We need to be a short commute from medical facilities for work. I prefer somewhere where we can bike or walk to where we need. Small communities with 5,000 or less people would be ideal. Any suggestions?
A couple of notes: 1. You should re-post the question in the Coastal NC forum. Many people are asking similar questions.
2. We do have winter and occasional snow on the coast, with low temperatures about 29. We run the heat from November though March. Maybe you should be thinking of Florida if you expect not to use heat at all.
3. Your first consideration should be where you expect to find jobs. If you are in a medical field, what type of jobs are you seeking?
4. Beaufort, Swansboro or Manteo are examples of the small town you are describing. However, it is not realistic to expect to walk or bike everywhere. North Carolina is very spread out and car dependent.
Thank you. We are considering both NC and Florida and this is our starting point. We will move within a year. My husband is a radiographer, so he can work at any diagnostic imaging facility. We're looking for coastal, so I will redirect my post to the correct forum. Thank you!
My husband is a radiographer, so he can work at any diagnostic imaging facility. We're looking for coastal, so I will redirect my post to the correct forum. Thank you!
Diagnostic imaging centers exist in the larger towns or cities like Hampstead, Wilmington, Jacksonville and Greenville. You could certainly find your small town within commuting distance of one of these cities.
Just out of curiosity, any reason why South Carolina and coastal GA aren't on your list?
And I second GoldenAge that the coast does get some snow. Out of the 5 winters I spent there, I think I encountered it about 2 or 3 years. We definitely had to use our heat every year though.
Aside from the weather that has already been discussed, you also mentioned "good" schools. This is a relative term, but even compared to other areas of North Carolina none of the small towns on the coast have highly regarded schools. You probably should look at FL more closely.
Aside from the weather that has already been discussed, you also mentioned "good" schools. This is a relative term, but even compared to other areas of North Carolina none of the small towns on the coast have highly regarded schools. You probably should look at FL more closely.
That's a lie. Small towns in Dare, Carteret, and Pender County all have highly regarded middle and high schools.
Topsail Middle, Harker's Island, Broad Creek, Croatan High (7-8) Atlantic (K-8), First Flight, Cape Hatteras Secondary (6-12), and the high schools they feed into. I'm not sure waht your impression is of small town schools in Florida as well, but I mines does not lead me to believe they have any advantage in this category.
NC Schools ALWAYS take a bad rap. I can assure you there will be much greater problems for you than the schools. Jobs, Flood/Homeowners/Wind-Hail Insurance, etc. Even in Non-Ghetto bad schools, if the parent and the student CARE and are COMMITTED, the student will do fine. Worry about a job, not schools!
I agree the top priority should be where there wage-earner can find the best jobs, rather than schools.
My concern with school quality in the small towns like Swansboro is that they could be too small to offer foreign languages or have chemistry and physics labs. I would encourage the OP to look at the larger school districts like Hampstead/Topsail Island which are better rated.
Macjr82 gives some good advice if the job is located in Craven County.
My family and I are looking to move in the next year and North Carolina is on our list of places we would like to relocate to. What would you suggest as a great small coastal town to move to with good schools (Middle school and high school)? I would prefer warm year-round and not to use the heater at all, if possible. We need to be a short commute from medical facilities for work. I prefer somewhere where we can bike or walk to where we need. Small communities with 5,000 or less people would be ideal. Any suggestions?
Walk or bike to everything you need? Good for you! It IS possible. We're in Beaufort (population 5500).
From our home, we can walk or bike to:
-2 grocery stores
-two drug stores
-one small dept. store
-two Dollar stores
-2 Chinese restaurants, 1 bbq place, several burger joints, Dunkin Donuts, a seafood place, a family-style restaurant, a pizza place, and a Subway
-2 auto garages
-one auto supply store
-one hardware store
-a print/mail center
-Post Office
-library
-a great thrift store and a consignment shop
-downtown and waterfront with a bunch of retail shops, a dozen restaurants, pubs, docks (1.5 miles)
-middle school, and an alternative school
-two doctors, two dentists, two vets
So, you see, car-free or reduced driving can be done. We're down to one car, from two, but have 5 bikes!
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