Family with 3 small children looking to relocate to NC (Raleigh: home, employment)

[tx5smith]

My husband and I have three sons under the age of 4. We currently live in Reno, Nevada and are looking to relocate. I keep coming back to coastal NC for some reason. We are thinking that we like Wilmington, NC but we have only visited for a couple days years ago. I am trying to do some research now to make a better decision. I've found some old posts with a lot of cons on the Wilmington side.
What's the real truth about Wilmington, is it some place that we should keep on our list?
Thank you all for your information.

[Francois]

What career fields are you in, and does at least one of you have a job lined up? Employment is grim in NC right now--unemployment among the top 10 in the US, and that's not even counting all the competition from out of state folks (such as you ). Wilmington might or might not be the best place to find the jobs in your particular fields (especially now)?

[tx5smith]

I'm a stay at home mom, and my husband is a personal trainer. I was kind of liking the idea of cheaper housing that I have seen in Wilmington, but I really appreciate any advice that you all have for me.

[Goheels]

Hi and welcome. I would think that a personal trainer job would not be in high demand right now but there are beginning to be whispers about training programs coming to eastern NC for the aerospace industry, but you might be shocked that the pay will be somewhere in the $15 range. It may be far down the road and not located in Wilmington but in surronding counties. I would look at the newspapers online in the cities from Raleigh and eastward for the next couple of months.