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Is anyone familiar with both Fayetteville, AR and Chapel Hill, NC to offer advice as to the pros/cons for retirement?
I am familiar with the costs (housing, etc), my primary concerns are comparing the two as far as quality of life, Medical resources, continuing education, crime, etc.
I know nothing about Fayetteville, AR but I'll post anyway. In Chapel Hill you would have the University of NC and other colleges/universities close by including Duke University and it's medical center. There's an airport in nearby Raleigh. There's been some talk on the NC forum about any portion of a retirement/pension being subject to NC income tax. The exemption is currently $4,000. North Carolina Income Tax Brackets 2013 This link includes all states. Just my 2 cents worth, but Fayetteville, AR is too far from the ocean IMO.
There are lots of statistics on City-Data....crime, etc.
I've actually looked into moving to both, but never been to Chapel Hill. If employment and my where my family lives wasn't a consideration, I'm pretty sure I'd go with Chapel Hill. Probably a lot has to do with the fact that the area is much more liberal than Fayetteville. But also, it's close to so many other things, like Washington DC, Florida, Amtrak, beaches, the mountains of Appalachia....which would mean for many less expensive vacations. Of course, we have a few vacation destinations near here, like Branson and Eureka Springs, but that may get old pretty quickly. Then again, maybe you don't care about that at all.
Chapel Hill also has way better public transportation, which may be important or not for you.
I did a quick search, and the crime in Chapel Hill is slightly lower than Fayetteville. And the weather appears to be just a tiny bit more mild (cooler in the summer, hotter in the winter, less humidity) than Fayetteville.
Overall, the quality of life seems very similar. I didn't see any discernible difference in the medical options of either, but I didn't really look into it much. Duke has a school of medicine in Durham (near Chapel Hill), though, whereas UA in Fayetteville does not.
Also, I love the Ozarks, but the areas near Appalachia are breathtaking in ways that the Ozarks just aren't. It's hard to compare the two. Both are great, I guess it comes down to person preferences.
Last edited by soanchorless; 01-20-2013 at 12:14 AM..
i love these people who only know about one of the choices but still find it necessary to post. Here is my opinion and it is just that: We looked into both, either choice has positives and negatives. Your best bet is to visit both for a few days and get a feel for the community and the surroundings. What is important to people still working and those retired are two very different things.
Chaple Hill: it is beautiful, has the ocean near by, is close to a lot of history and has slightly lower income tax for starters.
Fayetteville: has less expensive housing, property taxes are lower and are frozen (with the exception of local taxes) after age 65. 4 seasons are more apparent in Fayetteville, than Chapel Hill, even though both have some changes. I have not actually done the humidity check, but have experienced summer days in both, the humidity is high in both places. Probably, because of the proximity to the ocean it is more noticable in Chapel Hill..Either way, you will feel it..
Both cities have a major university, which can be a positive or negative. College towns offer more cultural activity but also lots of confusion during sporting events and lots of young people. For us, this is fine, for some it could be a challenge. Politically, both are slightly more liberal than the rest of the state, but Fayetteville certainly isn't liberal, nor is Chapel Hill, for that matter.
Both areas offer excellant medical facilities which is important when we get older.
Both cities have low crime rates, which is very positive Both cities have lots of activities for seniors, good shopping and good dining choices. Also both are relatively diverse, which may or may not be important.
I honestly don't think there is a lot of difference in the two areas, Chapel Hill might be slightly more cosmopolitan. Our decision really came down to family, plus we had lived many years on the coasts and decided we prefered the change of seasons and no hurricanes.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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I live in Chapel Hill and have never been to Arkansas, so I can only comment on one area. But I want to clear up some misconceptions that I have read about Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill is VERY liberal, politically. There would be no other way to describe this town. 70% of the county voted for Obama in the last election (and Chapel Hill is more liberal than other parts of the county, so it's probably even higher within the town). Again, I don't know about Fayetteville, but I'm guessing Fayetteville isn't nearly that liberal, politically.
If you are politically conservative, you would not find too many like-minded folks, until you get outside the city limits and into the more rural areas. Not saying you wouldn't fit in or have a place to live here, just that you would be surrounded by politically liberal people. I don't find that people necessarily discuss politics all of the time but it is quite evident how people vote. But again, once outside the town, it becomes much more conservative, politically. And you could probably live 20 minutes away and feel much more at home if you lean conservative.
Chapel Hill is a very expensive town to living. Property costs are very high, especially compared to Arkansas. Property taxes are high, too. However, once you get right outside the town line, property costs drop dramatically as do property taxes. The high costs of living in Chapel Hill mainly have to do with the excellent school system here, so if you are retiring, it wouldn't make sense to buy within the town limits for the schools. So you could cut costs dramatically by living outside the limits but getting the other benefitis you would want from the area.
Health care is second to none in this part of North Carolina. Living within Chapel Hill you have immediate access to UNC Hospitals which has an excellent reputation. But for world-renowned care, Duke Hospital is about 20-30 minutes away. People come from all over the country and the world to go to Duke for specialty care. Duke is always rated in the top 10 hosptials in many specialities. Of course, not everyone needs that level of care, and hopefully the OP does not, but just so you know it is there near Chapel Hill.
Since OP asked about education, I will address that. Chapel Hill is a highly-educated town. You will find the level of educational attainment here to be quite high. Nearly everyone I meet is connected to the university in some way (professor, researcher, or doctor) or they work in nearby Research Triangle Park in research or IT. Everyone seems very educated. In the one year I have lived here, I have yet to meet someone who did not attend college. And nearly everyone I know has an advanced degree. I have a master's and I feel undereducated here, if that gives you an idea of how highly-regareded education is here. (Hah, I just looked at the C-D statistics, and it says that 70% of people in Chapel Hill have a bachelor's degree and 40% have at least a master's.) Again, I don't know how that compares to Fayetteville, but my experience living here mirrors the C-D statistics. Most people are intellectual and educated, and it is obvious in the activities and attitudes around here.
Living in Chapel Hill, you will meet people from all over the country and the world. Again, many come to work at one of the universities (UNC or Duke) one of the hospitals or to work in research. Chapel Hill is almost an island compared to the rest of NC. Everyone seems to come from somewhere else. Living in Chapel Hill, I very rarely meet NC natives. But again, probably 20 minutes or so outside the town, that would change dramatically.
As for quality of life in Chapel Hill, unless you enjoy big city living like NYC, DC, LA, Chicago, etc., most people are very happy here. Chapel Hill itself is a small university town surrounded by rural land. There are many lakes, bike trails, campgrounds and other outdoor activities around here. If you want bigger city amenities, you can drive 20 minutes into Durham for more city-life, theatre, and museums. Or you can drive 45 minutes to the state capital of Raleigh for more city stuff. The beach and the mountains are each about 3 hours away. Overall, most people I meet are quite happy living here. The ones who aren't are the ones who crave a bigger city lifestyle. Hope that helps.
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 love these people who only know about one of the choices but still find it necessary to post. Here is my opinion and it is just that: We looked into both, either choice has positives and negatives. Your best bet is to visit both for a few days and get a feel for the community and the surroundings. What is important to people still working and those retired are two very different things.
Chaple Hill: it is beautiful, has the ocean near by, is close to a lot of history and has slightly lower income tax for starters.
Fayetteville: has less expensive housing, property taxes are lower and are frozen (with the exception of local taxes) after age 65. 4 seasons are more apparent in Fayetteville, than Chapel Hill, even though both have some changes. I have not actually done the humidity check, but have experienced summer days in both, the humidity is high in both places. Probably, because of the proximity to the ocean it is more noticable in Chapel Hill..Either way, you will feel it..
Both cities have a major university, which can be a positive or negative. College towns offer more cultural activity but also lots of confusion during sporting events and lots of young people. For us, this is fine, for some it could be a challenge. Politically, both are slightly more liberal than the rest of the state, but Fayetteville certainly isn't liberal, nor is Chapel Hill, for that matter.
Both areas offer excellant medical facilities which is important when we get older.
Both cities have low crime rates, which is very positive Both cities have lots of activities for seniors, good shopping and good dining choices. Also both are relatively diverse, which may or may not be important.
I honestly don't think there is a lot of difference in the two areas, Chapel Hill might be slightly more cosmopolitan. Our decision really came down to family, plus we had lived many years on the coasts and decided we prefered the change of seasons and no hurricanes.
We love you too. Looks like I'm not the only person who felt they had some useful information to post on Chapel Hill even after you let us know of your disdain. You should be more cordial and appreciative--southern hospitality and all. I love these people who don't even bother to read posts or totally ignore the response and then answer questions that have already been answered. Maybe the OP loves heat and humidity. The only place to avoid summer heat and humidity in NC is in the mountains...Asheville, Boone, Blowing Rock, etc....includes 4 seasons with more winter and better foliage, less humid summers. Chapel Hill has 4 seasons. Spring arrives with Bradford pear trees in early March, summer HEAT, fall foliage, and not much winter....overall, NC is conservative...like the Founding Fathers of our country. There are some liberals. The voters of NC passed an Amendment in 2012 that defines marriage as between a man and a woman if that matters to the OP. Income tax is an important consideration for residents of any state that has an income tax.
We love you too. Looks like I'm not the only person who felt they had some useful information to post on Chapel Hill even after you let us know of your disdain. You should be more cordial and appreciative--southern hospitality and all. I love these people who don't even bother to read posts or totally ignore the response and then answer questions that have already been answered. Maybe the OP loves heat and humidity. The only place to avoid summer heat and humidity in NC is in the mountains...Asheville, Boone, Blowing Rock, etc....includes 4 seasons with more winter and better foliage, less humid summers. Chapel Hill has 4 seasons. Spring arrives with Bradford pear trees in early March, summer HEAT, fall foliage, and not much winter....overall, NC is conservative...like the Founding Fathers of our country. There are some liberals. The voters of NC passed an Amendment in 2012 that defines marriage as between a man and a woman if that matters to the OP. Income tax is an important consideration for residents of any state that has an income tax.
sorry I offended you, I really am, but the OP did ask for information from people who are familiar with both areas. No one, who hasn't even visited an area can fairly compare it to another. Yes, i am very much aware of what Chapel Hill is like. Our X daughter in law is an alum of Chapel Hill and 2 of our grandchildren were born there. As I mentioned, we researched and visited both places before we made a decision. Yes, NC has season changes, but not to the extent we have in NWA, more like what exists in some other parts of AR. As for the political scene, I think those who posted were comparing Chapel Hill with Fayetteville and not the state with the other state. There is a huge difference. As for income taxes, yes, it is a consideration, but how seniors are affected by income tax and others can be totally different. Some states tax SS for instance, some do not. Some give an exemption for the first X number of $$S received, others do not. Probably the OP would get a better idea of the two cities, by posting on the retirement forum. Only people who are retired and familiar with the areas can really give good advise...
I live in Chapel Hill and have never been to Arkansas, so I can only comment on one area. ....snipped......
Don't you know you aren't supposed to offer comment only on one side of the question...what could you possibly have to offer (sarcasm).....? LOL. Good post.
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.
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In Chapel Hill you would have the University of NC and other colleges/universities close by including Duke University and it's medical center. There's an airport in nearby Raleigh. There's been some talk on the NC forum about any portion of a retirement/pension being subject to NC income tax. The exemption is currently $4,000. 
