Retirement: Fayetteville, AR vs Chapel Hill, NC

[bjrush]

Originally Posted by turkeydance

been to both, so here's what i have:
1. CH costs twice as much $ as FAY. real estate, taxes, groceries, gas, all that.
2. FAY has almost zero culture. not enough good live music, plays, whatever.
3. CH is super-duper-liberal.
4. FAY's more moderate.
5. CH is a retirement haven. meet 'used-to-be' big-shots.
6. FAY has some of that, too, just not as much.
7. CH is liberal, unless it pertains to CH. then it's Don't Change Anything.
8. FAY kinda/sorta goes with the flow. c'mon now, honey, let's handle this.
9. CH is the first choice for the silver-spoon crowd.
10. FAY would welcome everyone else.

I would strongly disagree with "Fayetteville has zero culture". If you want plays, musicals, symphonies, concerts, those are all right here in Northwest Arkansas. See Crystal Bridges or the Walton Arts Center or TheaterSquared or the Walmart AMP

[JWG223]

Man, I can't comment form experience, but I really think that these sound like two "very similar and very different towns" and would advise a stay in each. See which "vibe" you like.

[JWG223]

Originally Posted by soanchorless

Yeah, to compare, in Fayetteville, about 40% of the vote goes to Democrats. The city is often labeled one of the most liberal in Arkansas, but it's still not very liberal by Chapel Hill standards. It is pretty progressive as far as sustainability goes. Although last year there was a vote for a .25 sales tax increase to support public transportation and it lost by a wide margin (there was a big Tea Party campaign against it that was obviously very successful). The surrounding area is much, much more conservative as well. I'm not trying to stir up any political talk here, I don't care either way, just putting this out there in case voting tendencies would be a deciding factor in where the OP retires to.

I can own more of the firearms I enjoy shooting in NWA than I could in NC. I can also hunt suppressed. I like that.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by turkeydance

been to both, so here's what i have:
1. CH costs twice as much $ as FAY. real estate, taxes, groceries, gas, all that.
2. FAY has almost zero culture. not enough good live music, plays, whatever.
3. CH is super-duper-liberal.
4. FAY's more moderate.
5. CH is a retirement haven. meet 'used-to-be' big-shots.
6. FAY has some of that, too, just not as much.
7. CH is liberal, unless it pertains to CH. then it's Don't Change Anything.
8. FAY kinda/sorta goes with the flow. c'mon now, honey, let's handle this.
9. CH is the first choice for the silver-spoon crowd.
10. FAY would welcome everyone else.

I really bet, after almost 2 years the OP has made a decision or moved somewhere else. I don't think they have ever retuned to this forum. In fact last time he posted was a year ago and he apparently has decided on NC.Turkeydance apparently lives in NC and may or may not know anything about Fayetteville. If he/she does, I think the opinions are a little partial. Anyone who thinks there is no culture couldn't really know much about NWA.