Is Wilmington, NC that bad? (Charlotte, Durham: middle-class, real estate, high crime)

[CharlotteDad]

I have a job opportunity in Wilmington, NC and considering relocating my family there. After reading the comments about Wilmington, I’m starting to have second thoughts. Everyone mentions the high crime rate, poor schools (we have children in elementary) school and outrageous housing costs. We would be moving from Charlotte and we have the same problems here, but wouldn’t discourage anyone moving to Charlotte. I really want to know what the better schools are in and outside the county. Should I live in/near Wilmington or a smaller town on the outskirts? Any information on specific family orientated subdivisions or areas would be great. Thanks!

[Richard Martin]

I can't help you out with any of your specific questions but I can give you my observations after my wife and I made a "looking around" trip there.

Real Estate costs are easy to find on Realtor.com. Although they're more than where I am they're still about 33% less than the northeast. We could have bought a house there but we probably would have had a small mortgage (under $50k) and we didn't want any mortgage at all.

The highways seems to be in pretty good shape with a lot of roads in, through and around the area. 4 lane highways are aplenty there.

Wilmington impressed us. When we went there it was in January and in the 50's. There were many people out walking their pets and generally socializing. That's something you really don't see a whole lot of outside of Greenville.

We didn't see a whole lot of rough housing like you see in so many NC towns but with a city as big as Wilmington I'm sure it's there somewhere. The neighborhoods we did see were clean and well maintained. There was a really nice neighborhood there we didn't get to go into. It is surrounded by a large brick wall and the guard at the gate was there to make sure the only people who went in belonged there. Big bucks I'm sure.

Shopping is abundant with a lot of new stores and restaurants. There is sure to be something for everybody there.

As a side note Money Magazine just named Wilmington to their top 10 list of places to buy real estate.

[mm_mary73]

Why not go there and check it out? It's not very far away and HWY 74 will get you there.

[roxors]

A lot of highways to get you there, but once you're in town, traffic can be horrendous. No freeways within the city, just crowded streets that are not enough to handle the increased population. Keep that in mind. Especially if visiting on a summer weekend.

[elnene2k]

I love the downtown Wilmington area! It's very rich in History and has a very different vibe to it...There are some hip trendy people who live in WIlmington...Although I have not seen the area outside of downtown Wilmington, what I seen was an area I would love to live in...All the stores in downtown are mostly local trendy/stylish stores in which include local designers/artists as brands they sell...Nearly all these stores had dogs in them...How great is it to live in an area where you could go to several stores with your dog and they would be more welcome than you are...Also, the river walk there is beautiful filled with Southern palm trees and historic buildings along with the big great sail ship that is a sight that is docked to see along the sunset...The best part about Wilmington is that you're moments away from Wrightsville beach which has a very Santa Cruz, California feel to it yet different in its own way because of the sound side marina along the long boardwalk and the beach on the other side of it...I live in Durham and love it but would love to live right in the middle of downtown Wilmington!

[scjj]

Wilmington was a laid back little town that has mushroomed into overdeveloped strip malls and urban sprawl. I lived in Wilmington for 11 years and if I had to go back I would not live in Wilmington. I would live on the outskirts somewhere else. The traffic will always be bad around there because of poor road planning and design. Check out the local news websites, they are helpful in getting a better feel for the area and some of them have comments from the locals.

[anonymous]

Wilmington has its ups and downs. For better and for worse, it's one of the weirdest places I've lived. It's a chaotic mixture of tourists, retirees, college students, surfers, fishermen, yuppies, yankees, hippies, river rats, u.s. marines, criminals, meth addicts, old money southerners, hispanics, bad drivers and homeless people. It is not a town that caters to the middle class. The downtown is cool, and the beaches are.. beaches. But if you're Joe Sixpack with a middle-class job, who sends his kids to public schools, then you must be willing to make sacrifices to live here.

As far as roads, politics, development, and general infrastructure go, the best way I've heard it described is that Wilmington is a place with small-town solutions to big-city problems. I would say that Charlotte and Wilmington share some of the same growth-related problems, but I think Wilmington is in much worse shape than Charlotte. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I feel strongly that Wilmington is not for everyone.

[Crazy_Daisy]

Originally Posted by scjj

Wilmington was a laid back little town that has mushroomed into overdeveloped strip malls and urban sprawl. I lived in Wilmington for 11 years and if I had to go back I would not live in Wilmington. I would live on the outskirts somewhere else. The traffic will always be bad around there because of poor road planning and design. Check out the local news websites, they are helpful in getting a better feel for the area and some of them have comments from the locals.

I agree with you 100%! Wilmington is being taken over by New York/New Jersey retirees, and now it is the highest place to live in North Carolina. It has become crowded, and the traffic is ridiculous. It isn't the town that I remember anymore, and I am so sad about it that I am sick. My parents live there now, but if they were moving there now they wouldn't be able to afford a home. Everything is expensive. Move to Burgaw in Pender County.

[Kashmir]

We went there to look around. The historic sites were awesome, but that would be the only reason to go there again...if ever again. We didn't appreciate all the smut businesses around, and they were aplenty. The place was dirty and run down. Reminded me why we left the LA area. Was sad to see the filth is in the South.

[Crazy_Daisy]

Originally Posted by Kashmir

We went there to look around. The historic sites were awesome, but that would be the only reason to go there again...if ever again. We didn't appreciate all the smut businesses around, and they were aplenty. The place was dirty and run down. Reminded me why we left the LA area. Was sad to see the filth is in the South.

It is hardly run down. Wilmington is also run by the film industry, and it is hardly slummy. There are plenty of people who vacation here also. You sound like you went to Las Vegas. Did you get lost?