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I am a female, single 40 something relocating to the area due to a job transfer. I am trying to decide which city would suit me better, Winston-Salem or Greensboro. I prefer upscale and new. I like to have plenty of shopping and restaurants to choose from. I am more of a suburbanite, however, I love the idea of a downtown loft if the drive to the burbs is 10 minutes or less and easy to get to. Which areas of each city are the nicest? My office is north of Winston-Salem, so it would be closer to live in Winston-Salem but I know Greensboro is larger. I assume a larger city has more to offer in the way of nicer subdivisons, shopping, eateries, etc. Any help would be much appreciated :-)
Lisa, my family is relocating also and I'm interested in what information you recv. I was told that Winston Salem is more artsy and liberal. Greensboro is a little less safe and conservative. I'd lean towards WS, but my husband's job will be in G'boro and I am tired of his commute. Ugh. I can't wait to get there to start looking at the area myself. We have little time to decide, given that the kids need to start school. Post what you find out to help me! lol. I'm interested in some of the same preferences that you do. Thanks. Good luck!
I was told that Winston Salem is more artsy and liberal. Greensboro is a little less safe and conservative.
Some truth to that in a "stereotypical" sense, but you'll certainly find lots of "artsy" in Greensboro (UNC-G, for example) and you'll find some areas of Winston-Salem that are less safe. The good news is that both cities offer a lot, and they are close enough together that you can take advantage of both. Some people prefer one over the other, but I think most people would find either to be quite acceptable. Given that your job is in Winston-Salem, I'd say I don't see any particular advantage to living in Greensboro. Then again, I am biased--I like Winston-Salem better.
Downtown Winston-Salem is enjoying a resurgence. Although slowed by the recent economic downturn, there's still quite a bit of excitement about its continued growth and improvement. There are a number of downtown condo options that are very nice. There are also lots of living options that are within a short walk or bike ride to downtown. And yes, you can get to most of the "burbs" in 10-15 minutes or so.
While I'm not as familiar with Greensboro, it has a nice downtown area as well. The Elm St. area is really cool, with lots of shops, bars, restaurants, etc.
You'll just have to come have a look around both places to see what you like.
I'm interested in hearing responses to your question, Lisa. I've lived in Greensboro but not Winston-Salem, and I'm curious as to how different they are. I know that Greensboro has some very new, reportedly upscale apartments downtown and is working on revitalizing the downtown area, with Center City Park being a good example. However, Greensboro is sprawling and there are many neglected or overcrowded areas. The Guilford College area is more upscale-suburban, as is the Friendly Ave. corridor and, I think, the areas up around Bur-Mill Park.
As for W-S, a coworker of mine (working in Greensboro) moved from here to Winston despite the commute it created, because all her friends lived there and she just said she preferred it. I wasn't clear on why, though, and she's no longer here so I can't ask. Could anyone elaborate on why a twenty-something college grad might choose W-S over Greensboro? (Apologies for piggy-backing on this thread, but I don't want to start a new thread for the same basic topic.) Is the "more artsy and liberal" stereotype for real? Greensboro has its artsy liberal side, but I would not say that describes the city as a whole. Is W-S more walkable than GSO? And does W-S have any diverse, safe neighborhoods with no strict HOAs - the type of neighborhood where a garden and a clothesline wouldn't be seen as a problem?
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