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My wife and I have one child and may possibly have one more at some point. So far everyone has recommended the two following areas:
Summerfield NC (Northwestern Guilford School District)
Greensboro (Northern School District)
Summerfield real estate seems to be a lot more expensive but Greensboro (Northern School District) has better ranked schools.
At this point we are leaning towards Greensboro in the Norther School District but would like input from others. Coming from the DC area we are over the night life and don't need a lot in terms of local amenities. If we can get to a Costco and drive 2 hours or less for fine dining we are fully satisfied. We are more concerned with safety, great schools, and being around folks open to diversity. We are a Black family and I don't have any experience living in the South.
Lastly we were also considering Winston Salem the schools seemed to rank below the above mentioned. Any input is welcome.
Lots of good in both G'boro and W-S. If it were me, I'd start with living in close proximity to my job, then go from there...where is your job located?
Of the two areas you mention in and near (Summerfield) Greensboro, I would lean towards being in the Northern school district based on your criteria, although there probably are other good school zones other than the two you mention. People are probably recommending those two areas because they have the most affluent demographics in the Greensboro area, and "good" schools often coincide with those metrics. I would defer to someone with kids in school to specifically tell you which school zones are good (the "district' would be the entire counties of Guilford and Forsyth).
A factor I would consider is where you or people in your household need to be for work. Certainly the Triad doesn't have DC level traffic, or even close to it, but it can be a nice bonus to avoid a long commute if you can help it. It would be possible to find an area with good schools that's convenient in about every corner of the Triad so there would be no need to live southwest of Winston-Salem and commute forty five minutes to East Greensboro, for example.
Depending on what you define as fine dining, you may be able to find what you're looking for in Greensboro, but if not, Raleigh and Charlotte have some more selection and are definitely within a two hour drive. Greensboro only has one Costco, on the southwest side of town, so depending on where you are, it could be a 20-25 minute drive. There is also a Costco in Winston-Salem.
In terms of diversity, Summerfield is much less diverse than Greensboro (with Summerfield being almost 88 percent White and Greensboro being a "minority majority" city where less than the population is White and the remainder is a mix of different races- I pulled this directly from here at City-Data. I'm not saying people in Summerfield wouldn't be hospitable to you but it's definitely much less diverse than Greensboro in just about every way imaginable.
But I think people from outside the South sometimes perceive the South as more racist than it really is because it is often potrayed that way (still) by the national media. Does racism exist in Greensboro and outlying areas? Sure, there are some bad apples who think this way. But that's also the case in large northern cities and many people, even in the less diverse outlying areas of the Triad (i.e. Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point and surrounding counties) might surprise you in a pleasant way, as most people will be nice to people of other races as long as you're nice to them- which I'm sure you will be.
Lots of good in both G'boro and W-S. If it were me, I'd start with living in close proximity to my job, then go from there...where is your job located?
Thanks for the response. I own a small technology company and will spend most of time going to engagements between Raleigh, The Triad, and Charlotte. I will occasionally fly back to DC depending on residual Federal engagements. The business in the South is outpacing DC hence the move.
Of the two areas you mention in and near (Summerfield) Greensboro, I would lean towards being in the Northern school district based on your criteria, although there probably are other good school zones other than the two you mention. People are probably recommending those two areas because they have the most affluent demographics in the Greensboro area, and "good" schools often coincide with those metrics. I would defer to someone with kids in school to specifically tell you which school zones are good (the "district' would be the entire counties of Guilford and Forsyth).
A factor I would consider is where you or people in your household need to be for work. Certainly the Triad doesn't have DC level traffic, or even close to it, but it can be a nice bonus to avoid a long commute if you can help it. It would be possible to find an area with good schools that's convenient in about every corner of the Triad so there would be no need to live southwest of Winston-Salem and commute forty five minutes to East Greensboro, for example.
Depending on what you define as fine dining, you may be able to find what you're looking for in Greensboro, but if not, Raleigh and Charlotte have some more selection and are definitely within a two hour drive. Greensboro only has one Costco, on the southwest side of town, so depending on where you are, it could be a 20-25 minute drive. There is also a Costco in Winston-Salem.
In terms of diversity, Summerfield is much less diverse than Greensboro (with Summerfield being almost 88 percent White and Greensboro being a "minority majority" city where less than the population is White and the remainder is a mix of different races- I pulled this directly from here at City-Data. I'm not saying people in Summerfield wouldn't be hospitable to you but it's definitely much less diverse than Greensboro in just about every way imaginable.
But I think people from outside the South sometimes perceive the South as more racist than it really is because it is often potrayed that way (still) by the national media. Does racism exist in Greensboro and outlying areas? Sure, there are some bad apples who think this way. But that's also the case in large northern cities and many people, even in the less diverse outlying areas of the Triad (i.e. Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point and surrounding counties) might surprise you in a pleasant way, as most people will be nice to people of other races as long as you're nice to them- which I'm sure you will be.
Thanks for the response and guidance on specifying the district. I own a tech company and will be traveling all over so commute isn't an issue. We have spent some time in Summerfield and the Northern District and everyone did seem very nice.
I'm not so much concerned about being around more Black people or white people. The main concern is my child is in a very good school district and safe. If folks are fair, friendly, and the area is safe that is the bigger concern.
The one thing I did notice is Summerfield is considered the "Northwest" school district which ranks below "The Northern" district. Yet the houses in Summerfield are much more expensive and the schools much older and lower ranked. I found that to be a bit contradicting unless most in Summerfield use private school or is an older population.
You will CRACK UP at what rush hour looks like in Greensboro! I was raised here but took off for DC in my 30s. Now I'm back and I enjoy it here.
I know little about schools. I live in NW Greensboro, not far from where I grew up. Greensboro has never felt like a big city to me. You don't need to live in an actual suburb to live in a place that feels like one.
My childhood friend is a real estate agent. She's lived here all her life, so she knows everything. Message me if you want her contact information. Welcome. Prepare to not have a horrible commute.
Thanks for the response and guidance on specifying the district. I own a tech company and will be traveling all over so commute isn't an issue. We have spent some time in Summerfield and the Northern District and everyone did seem very nice.
I'm not so much concerned about being around more Black people or white people. The main concern is my child is in a very good school district and safe. If folks are fair, friendly, and the area is safe that is the bigger concern.
The one thing I did notice is Summerfield is considered the "Northwest" school district which ranks below "The Northern" district. Yet the houses in Summerfield are much more expensive and the schools much older and lower ranked. I found that to be a bit contradicting unless most in Summerfield use private school or is an older population.
I work with various schools as part of my job. Both Northern and Northwest are very good. The difference in quality of education will surely be negligible. You may also want to look into one of the early colleges. There are a few that rank very well. The Early College at Guilford is the top ranked high school in the state and also 60% minority. Also there are a few charter schools that may be of interest. I suggest you visit these schools personally and talk with the administration, observe etc. Rankings and recommendations only tell you so much.
Not sure what you were seeing that makes you think Guilford Co. schools are better than Forsyth (Winston-Salem). Two of the best high schools in the state are in Forsyth County (West Forsyth and Reagan), and other schools are very good, including a number of magnet schools and the Career Center, which offers an amazing selection of AP classes for all students.
My wife and I have one child and may possibly have one more at some point. So far everyone has recommended the two following areas:
Summerfield NC (Northwestern Guilford School District)
Greensboro (Northern School District)
Summerfield real estate seems to be a lot more expensive but Greensboro (Northern School District) has better ranked schools.
At this point we are leaning towards Greensboro in the Norther School District but would like input from others. Coming from the DC area we are over the night life and don't need a lot in terms of local amenities. If we can get to a Costco and drive 2 hours or less for fine dining we are fully satisfied. We are more concerned with safety, great schools, and being around folks open to diversity. We are a Black family and I don't have any experience living in the South.
Lastly we were also considering Winston Salem the schools seemed to rank below the above mentioned. Any input is welcome.
Hello my husband and I are looking to relocate to Greensboro with similar living criteria as your family. Just curious if you've made the move yet and if so what is you opinion now that you've relocated
Last edited by reloKate123; 07-08-2019 at 05:00 PM..
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