Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are contemplating moving to NC. We have three daughters, 6, 9 and 11 so the school is one of the primary factors in deciding our relocation. Another is the desire to board our two horses on our own property. Any suggestions?
^ Great question. And we could help you much better if you can narrow things down a bit--NC is a big state, and there are hundreds of places that would fit your description. If schools are your primary consideration, just google "NC schools report cards" for lots of comparative data. But I caution you to use the information wisely--ratings aren't the only factor you should consider, as there are often great classes, teachers, and programs at mid-and lower-performing schools. You shouldn't necessarily rule a particular school or area out based solely on the numbers.
Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools are generally considered the tops in NC. That is also generally considered the most expensive place to live, which of course is not a coincidence thanks to supply & demand. As said above, school districts are county-based, with small exceptions (such as Chapel Hill/Carrboro) and some counties, such as Wake, are undergoing major issues right now due to unparalleled growth and trying to keep up with exploding enrollment while balancing diversity, etc. If you come from somewhere with small town-based districts, NC will likely be a pretty radical change in the way the schools are run, especially in a large county.
Are you being transferred for a job, or just "throwing a dart at the map" regarding NC?
Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools are generally considered the tops in NC. That is also generally considered the most expensive place to live, which of course is not a coincidence thanks to supply & demand. As said above, school districts are county-based, with small exceptions (such as Chapel Hill/Carrboro) and some counties, such as Wake, are undergoing major issues right now due to unparalleled growth and trying to keep up with exploding enrollment while balancing diversity, etc. If you come from somewhere with small town-based districts, NC will likely be a pretty radical change in the way the schools are run, especially in a large county.
Are you being transferred for a job, or just "throwing a dart at the map" regarding NC?
FYI--That is how the BAy City Rollers picked their name---the Dart hit Bay City MIchigan---trivia pursuit---
Back on topic....NC is a big state...more details would narrow your search greatly..
Are you independently wealthy or will you need jobs?
Unfortunately, not independently wealthy. I have a pension and social security. We want to leave TX because hubby has been out of work for over 2 years - he's in the restaurant business. The taxes on our house are $8,000. We moved here 4 years ago for our daughters to grow up in a small town with great schools. They are A students with 100% conduct grades. So school, horses and job are our 3 priorities.
Unfortunately, not independently wealthy. I have a pension and social security. We want to leave TX because hubby has been out of work for over 2 years - he's in the restaurant business. The taxes on our house are $8,000. We moved here 4 years ago for our daughters to grow up in a small town with great schools. They are A students with 100% conduct grades. So school, horses and job are our 3 priorities.
So, your taxes might be cut in half to about $4000. a year, depending on where you buy and how big the home is, but you'll eat those savings up and more just in the moving process itself!
And wanting "great schools" is going to put you in neighborhoods of homes in the $250's and way up in either Charlotte or Raleigh.
Not to be discouraging, but I'm just not sure this is a well thought out plan.
NC still has some of the highest unemployment numbers in the country. And that's not just because there are no jobs.
It's also because too many people like you from other parts of the country are coming here because you've heard what a great place to live it is and creating enormous competition for the jobs that are available.
AND, it is a great place to live. However, it's not the only great place to live in the country. Some other great places to live have much lower unemployment rates, perhaps you'd want to check out some of those?
Unfortunately, not independently wealthy. I have a pension and social security. We want to leave TX because hubby has been out of work for over 2 years - he's in the restaurant business. The taxes on our house are $8,000. We moved here 4 years ago for our daughters to grow up in a small town with great schools. They are A students with 100% conduct grades. So school, horses and job are our 3 priorities.
Are you aware tha Texas overall has a much lower unemployment rate than NC? Hmm, so when you don't have a job or any prospects of one, you pick a state with higher unemployment to move to....?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hmm, so when you don't have a job or any prospects of one, you pick a state with higher unemployment to move to....? 
