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My family is seriously considering a relocation based on some private schools needs of our older daughter (who has learning disabilities). We are looking at Greenville and Chapel Hill/Durham areas. Both have a specific school that we are looking at (Camperdown in SC and The Hill Center in NC).
My husband and I are both virtual employees, so commuting is not currently an issue for us. We would welcome input from people on this forum, especially those that have spent time in both places. There is a past thread on this topic, but it is several years old and I know that Greenville has been growing a lot. I'd really like some recent input.
Here are some things that are important to us
family-oriented community with lots of activities/services for kids (elementary age)
excellent public schools (for our other daughter - we can only afford 1 private school tuition)
good restaurants and cultural activities
ability to meet residents/families from a variety of places (i.e., did majority of people in Greenville grow up in South Carolina or has the presence of large companies brought in people from a variety of places? I'd welcome meeting Greenville natives, but always think it's more interesting to live in a place that is not entirely comprised of locals no matter where I am)
walkable or bikeable sections of city or surrounding communities
ability to take interesting weekend trips that are 2-4 hours away (I know Greenville has this one)
For those of you who have lived in or spent time in both areas, which area would you describe as more sophisticated? Which area has the least amount of suburban sprawl?
Also, while I know that some large corporations have set up home base in Greenville and provide a good business foundation, is there any network of start-up or incubator companies in Greenville? I know Durham has been fostering this type of thing. My husband and I both work in internet/online marketing roles. In reality, any business today has some kind of internet division, but my preference is to work with small or mid-size businesses.
For those of you who have lived in or spent time in both areas, which area would you describe as more sophisticated? Which area has the least amount of suburban sprawl?
Also, while I know that some large corporations have set up home base in Greenville and provide a good business foundation, is there any network of start-up or incubator companies in Greenville? I know Durham has been fostering this type of thing. My husband and I both work in internet/online marketing roles. In reality, any business today has some kind of internet division, but my preference is to work with small or mid-size businesses.
CHAPEL HILL!!! hands down, no argument needed. I grew up in NC (both in WNC and the Raleigh area) and had to move here for a job. I count down the days until my contract is up and I can move away from here.
UNC-CH is right there and that alone gives the area a much larger pool of professionals. Expanding to inculde the whole triangle area and you are saturated by top notch colleges, its grads, and businesses that come because of it. Unless you are looking for manufacturing companies the triangle also has many more big companies.
Honestly, I wouldn't even compare the two because Greenville isn't exactly a mecca of anything.... The only close school is clemson and most grads don't stay. The only reason I'd say someone should even consider greenville over the triangle is because of cost of living. Its lower in SC but that also means jobs pay less and the pool is more working class (espcially when comparing to chapel hill which is one of the most expensive places in NC).
I posted the following comparing the general raleigh area to greenville....
Let me start by saying that I never loved Raleigh and when people would ask on the WNC fourm about moving I'd often suggest Greenville as a medium between jobs and mnts. ...... I think starting out I had an unbiased view of Greenville.
Now: Greenville has big city traffic and hardly any pay off. Everything is concentrated in one area with people living all over the outskirts. The only thing IMO that makes greenville better is the downtown and proximity to mountains.
Raleigh is more sprawling and while has bad traffic, has more highways so its not STOP GO STOP GO kind of traffic. It seems there is no direct way to get anywhere in Greenville. The whole triangle area offers much much much for shopping and dinning (Greenville has one crappy mall).
NC Colleges win hands down over SC so thats something to think about even though your son is young. On the same lines, Raleigh has a much higher number of college grads. So for me it was SUPER easy to find a job out of college in Greenville (less competition), never got an interview in Raleigh.
On the side of religion/conservative types: I grew up in WNC and always thought we were in a conservative area. I myself am an episcopal. My parents moved to Wake Forest a few years ago and then I moved to Greenville a few months ago. I had visited Greenville a few times and never thought it was much worse than any other areas in the south.
I was wrong. So far I have encountered several religious fanatics in everyday life in greenville where as I never noticed it in Raleigh or Asheville (unless it was some crazy protest or a really really rare occasion). For example, the barber my SO went to started calling gays extremely derogatory names when project runway came on and a girl at a big box store was severely offended by glee. They felt the need to share such and I knew them for a whole minute.
Ultimately of course, it depends on what you want in a home because tons of people love Greenville.
CHAPEL HILL!!! hands down, no argument needed. I grew up in NC (both in WNC and the Raleigh area) and had to move here for a job. I count down the days until my contract is up and I can move away from here.
UNC-CH is right there and that alone gives the area a much larger pool of professionals. Expanding to inculde the whole triangle area and you are saturated by top notch colleges, its grads, and businesses that come because of it. Unless you are looking for manufacturing companies the triangle also has many more big companies.
Honestly, I wouldn't even compare the two because Greenville isn't exactly a mecca of anything.... The only close school is clemson and most grads don't stay. The only reason I'd say someone should even consider greenville over the triangle is because of cost of living. Its lower in SC but that also means jobs pay less and the pool is more working class (espcially when comparing to chapel hill which is one of the most expensive places in NC).
I posted the following comparing the general raleigh area to greenville....
Let me start by saying that I never loved Raleigh and when people would ask on the WNC fourm about moving I'd often suggest Greenville as a medium between jobs and mnts. ...... I think starting out I had an unbiased view of Greenville.
Now: Greenville has big city traffic and hardly any pay off. Everything is concentrated in one area with people living all over the outskirts. The only thing IMO that makes greenville better is the downtown and proximity to mountains.
Raleigh is more sprawling and while has bad traffic, has more highways so its not STOP GO STOP GO kind of traffic. It seems there is no direct way to get anywhere in Greenville. The whole triangle area offers much much much for shopping and dinning (Greenville has one crappy mall).
NC Colleges win hands down over SC so thats something to think about even though your son is young. On the same lines, Raleigh has a much higher number of college grads. So for me it was SUPER easy to find a job out of college in Greenville (less competition), never got an interview in Raleigh.
On the side of religion/conservative types: I grew up in WNC and always thought we were in a conservative area. I myself am an episcopal. My parents moved to Wake Forest a few years ago and then I moved to Greenville a few months ago. I had visited Greenville a few times and never thought it was much worse than any other areas in the south.
I was wrong. So far I have encountered several religious fanatics in everyday life in greenville where as I never noticed it in Raleigh or Asheville (unless it was some crazy protest or a really really rare occasion). For example, the barber my SO went to started calling gays extremely derogatory names when project runway came on and a girl at a big box store was severely offended by glee. They felt the need to share such and I knew them for a whole minute.
Ultimately of course, it depends on what you want in a home because tons of people love Greenville.
Interesting. I'll agree Raleigh is much larger, but that doesn't necessarily qualify it as flat out better. But then, the thread asked about Chapel Hills.
My family is seriously considering a relocation based on some private schools needs of our older daughter (who has learning disabilities). We are looking at Greenville and Chapel Hill/Durham areas. Both have a specific school that we are looking at (Camperdown in SC and The Hill Center in NC).
My husband and I are both virtual employees, so commuting is not currently an issue for us. We would welcome input from people on this forum, especially those that have spent time in both places. There is a past thread on this topic, but it is several years old and I know that Greenville has been growing a lot. I'd really like some recent input.
Here are some things that are important to us
family-oriented community with lots of activities/services for kids (elementary age)
excellent public schools (for our other daughter - we can only afford 1 private school tuition)
good restaurants and cultural activities
ability to meet residents/families from a variety of places (i.e., did majority of people in Greenville grow up in South Carolina or has the presence of large companies brought in people from a variety of places? I'd welcome meeting Greenville natives, but always think it's more interesting to live in a place that is not entirely comprised of locals no matter where I am)
walkable or bikeable sections of city or surrounding communities
ability to take interesting weekend trips that are 2-4 hours away (I know Greenville has this one)
For those of you who have lived in or spent time in both areas, which area would you describe as more sophisticated? Which area has the least amount of suburban sprawl?
Also, while I know that some large corporations have set up home base in Greenville and provide a good business foundation, is there any network of start-up or incubator companies in Greenville? I know Durham has been fostering this type of thing. My husband and I both work in internet/online marketing roles. In reality, any business today has some kind of internet division, but my preference is to work with small or mid-size businesses.
I'd say go with Durham over Greenville. Here's why...
-More communities that are actual communities with people who communicate with one another. Not that Greenville doesn't have it's fair share, but there's plenty too where most people couldn't tell you anyone who lives around them to save their lives.
-The public schools are going to be WAY better. It's none of my business, but I can't understand why you'd send one of your kids and not the other, afford it or not, so for schools this is the definate choice. If it was me I'd send both kids...but that's just me.
-This is roughly the same in either area.
-Both areas have people from all over, but North Carolina has a bit more people from different areas.
-Also about the same in either area for bike/walk paths
-You can get to the beaches pretty much at the same rate or perhaps quicker. Same could be said for Charlotte, only difference is it'll take a lot longer to get to Atlanta.
This area in NC will have less suburban sprawl, and in case it matters to you at all, the bus service is much better. It is more efficent, runs quicker, goes farther, and runs more often.
I think you need to visit both areas to get a feel for them. No one here can tell you what you like, because we are all different. I will say this though. I can count on one hand the folks in this forum that don't like it. I'll take that record. It's hard to make everyone happy no matter the place.
Based on the criteria presented by the OP, I'd say it's a lot closer of a choice based solely on those criteria. But, the Chapel Hill area is a huge center of education, so that should probably be a big consideration. Otherwise, Greenville/the Upstate have the other items covered, including a large number of people who have moved here from other places.
Welcome to the Upstate. Please understand this is an opinion board and there are lots of polarizing opinions in this sub-forum.
I've lived/worked from Oconee thru to Cherokee counties (span of the Upstate) since 2003. Currently live within the city limits of Greenville (by choice).
As for the most forward-thinking area of the Upstate: by far Greenville - all other areas pale in comparison - few exceptions: Greer (but no smoking ban there), Spartanburg, and perhaps Clemson.
I absolutely love the Triangle area - the quality of life there is fantastic. For me, one major drawback is proximity to the mountains. Greenville (SC) sits much closer to the Blue Ridge/southern Appalachians - I'm less than 45 minutes to elevations > 3,000 feet. Additionally, our television viewing area includes much of western NC and our ABC station is out of Asheville (WLOS).
Due to the presence of Michelin, BMW, GE, Fluor (and others) one will meet lots of transplants. As far as start-up organizations: yes, there is presence here but I'm no expert at this.
My recommendations for your family: live as close to downtown Greenville as possible. Look at the Augusta Road, North Main, and Parkins Mill areas. Unfortunately, the public schools close to the downtown area are just not as good as those in Greer (Riverside) or Powdersville (my opinion only).
Lastly, have you/your family visited downtown Greenville? It's a fantastic, walkable area with great shops, restaurants, and family activities. Of course, the Swamp Rabbit Trail meanders its way thru the beautiful downtown area. To compare: I recently visited downtown Asheville (haven't been there in years) - wow, what a letdown - downtown Greenville is MUCH nicer.
Pro's
Amazing downtown - one of the best in the country
Fantastic city of Greenville leadership
Low cost-of-living: cheapest gas in the country, lower state taxes than NC, no emissions or highway use taxes here (as in NC)
Very good shopping: Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, REI, Total Wine, Publix, Earth Fare, Apple Store, etc
Some great private schools (ex: CCES)
Con's
Overall disappointing public schools (some exceptions but none near downtown Greenville)
The infrastructure is lacking (and, for the most part, ugly): I-85 needs at least 3-4 lanes from GA to the NC border, several interchanges need reconfiguring, and how about some beautification/impressive signage when entering the Greenville area (there seems to be overgrown weeds everwhere near I-85)
The one super-regional mall (Haywood) is awful - it desperately needs an exterior overhaul (the interior is not bad) - unfortunately, there is no competition
The Upstate has significant sprawl - don't even get me started about Wade-Hampton
Last edited by drfranklin; 07-18-2012 at 02:47 PM..
Welcome to the Upstate. Please understand this is an opinion board and there are lots of polarizing opinions in this sub-forum.
I've lived/worked from Oconee thru to Cherokee counties (span of the Upstate) since 2003. Currently live within the city limits of Greenville (by choice).
As for the most forward-thinking area of the Upstate: by far Greenville - all other areas pale in comparison - few exceptions: Greer (but no smoking ban there), Spartanburg, and perhaps Clemson.
I absolutely love the Triangle area - the quality of life there is fantastic. For me, one major drawback is proximity to the mountains. Greenville (SC) sits much closer to the Blue Ridge/southern Appalachians - I'm less than 45 minutes to elevations > 3,000 feet. Additionally, our television viewing area includes much of western NC and our ABC station is out of Asheville (WLOS).
Due to the presence of Michelin, BMW, GE, Fluor (and others) one will meet lots of transplants. As far as start-up organizations: yes, there is presence here but I'm no expert at this.
My recommendations for your family: live as close to downtown Greenville as possible. Look at the Augusta Road, North Main, and Parkins Mill areas. Unfortunately, the public schools close to the downtown area are just not as good as those in Greer (Riverside) or Powdersville (my opinion only).
Lastly, have you/your family visited downtown Greenville? It's a fantastic, walkable area with great shops, restaurants, and family activities. Of course, the Swamp Rabbit Trail meanders its way thru the beautiful downtown area. To compare: I recently visited downtown Asheville (haven't been there in years) - wow, what a letdown - downtown Greenville is MUCH nicer.
Pro's
Amazing Downtown - one of the best in the country
Fantastic city of Greenville leadership
Low cost-of-living: cheapest gas in the country, lower state taxes than NC, no emissions or highway use taxes here (as in NC)
Very good shopping: Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, REI, Total Wine, Publix, Earth Fare, Apple Store, etc
Some great private schools (ex: CCES)
Con's
Overall disappointing public schools (some exceptions but none near downtown Greenville)
The infrastructure is lacking (and, for the most part, ugly): I-85 needs at least 3-4 lanes from the GA to the NC border, several interchanges need reconfiguring, and how about some beautification/impressive signage when entering the Greenville area (there seems to be overgrown weeds everwhere near I-85)
The one super-regional mall (Haywood) is awful - it desperately needs an exterior overhaul (the interior is not bad) - unfortunately, there is no competition
The Upstate has significant sprawl - don't even get me started about Wade-Hampton
Lots of good info here - keep it coming! I have visited CH/Durham area already. I have not been to Greenville yet, but I'm planning to visit both areas soon.
What about flights? I know that Charlotte is the biggest airport in the area, but if I did want to fly from the "local" airports, are there more flight options out of Greenville or Raleigh airports? (I'm sure it depends on where you are traveling to, but I'm trying to assess which area has more robust airport in general.)
Lots of good info here - keep it coming! I have visited CH/Durham area already. I have not been to Greenville yet, but I'm planning to visit both areas soon.
What about flights? I know that Charlotte is the biggest airport in the area, but if I did want to fly from the "local" airports, are there more flight options out of Greenville or Raleigh airports? (I'm sure it depends on where you are traveling to, but I'm trying to assess which area has more robust airport in general.)
RDU is a MUCH larger/busier airport (as the Triangle is a much larger metro area). But our airport has 50 flights per day with nonstops to most major East Coast metro areas (Boston being a notable exception) plus Chicago, Dallas & Houston, Cleveland, Atlanta, Charlotte and several Florida cities. Southwest now flies to/from GSP, and our airfares have come down somewhat from their infamously stratospheric levels pre-Southwest.
It really depends on where you'd be flying to from here. Also, our airport is just embarking on a multi-phase, $115 million renovation/expansion program, so what is already an attractive, efficient, easy to use facility will get even better.
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