Tarboro (Raleigh, Durham, Greenville: relocating, house, rent)

[CASKHA]

I live in Connecticut and I will be relocating to NC June 2007. I am a single mon with 2 young children. I am thinking about Tarboro. Tired of the city and looking forward to a quieter/slower pace. I am planning to buy a new construction home and would like to know which areas/communities that are good. I've been to Tarboro many times just to visit but never really got a chance to see its entirety. Any information would be helpful.

[Bethanytedder]

I really don't think Tarboro would qualify as the dream town to move to. For starters it flooded heavily in 1999 during Hurricane Floyd, but not unlike a lot of the eastern part of the state but some of these people in the Pinetops area were literally plunked off rooftops like in Katrina in New Orleans. We just got Ernesto last week and so far, so good in this area but having been in eastern North Carolina my entire life and I have a former foster child in Edgecombe County schools which is some 25 miles from where I am now, I don't think that Tarboro is somewhere I would move on purpose. Oh I have a video tape of Clinton standing there with half the Neuse River or whatever it was behind him during Floyd as well.

[clodhopper]

Tarboro is a nice town in a beautiful, largely rural county. They have a really cool town common, and a small but nice historic district. It's nothing special really I suppose but you could do alot worse than Tarboro. The Tar river flooded heavily during Floyd and Clinton helicoptered into the neighboring town of Princeton for a photo op.

The Confederate General Dorsey Pender, who was mortally wounded at Gettysburg, is buried in Tarboro. Lee said of Pender," If Pender had not fallen, we would have carried the day (at Gettysburg)." Pretty high praise if you ask me about a Wilson Co. farmboy.

[Beffrey2]

Tarboro is not a bad town. What I would worry about is the schools. Edgecombe county is also one of, if not the poorest counties in the state. I would not worry about the flooding either. Just get insurance.

Can't help you with where to move though

[CASKHA]

Thanks for the info. Any sugesstios as to where. What about the other towns in Edgecombe. How are they? I was down in the Rocky Mount (Red Oak) area in July seeing a few homes, nice but they were a little too expensive $279K.

Originally Posted by Bethanytedder

I really don't think Tarboro would qualify as the dream town to move to. For starters it flooded heavily in 1999 during Hurricane Floyd, but not unlike a lot of the eastern part of the state but some of these people in the Pinetops area were literally plunked off rooftops like in Katrina in New Orleans. We just got Ernesto last week and so far, so good in this area but having been in eastern North Carolina my entire life and I have a former foster child in Edgecombe County schools which is some 25 miles from where I am now, I don't think that Tarboro is somewhere I would move on purpose. Oh I have a video tape of Clinton standing there with half the Neuse River or whatever it was behind him during Floyd as well.

[Bethanytedder]

Rocky Mount is larger than Tarboro and it is also in two counties. Nash and Edgecombe Counties house Rocky Mount. As for which is cheaper, I am not sure. But like he said Tarboro is virtually all rural and if that is what you are looking for, there is any number of small towns that will fit the bill dotted throughout the east. Tarboro is larger than where I live, (Snow Hill, Greene County) but nothing like Rocky Mount, Greenville, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill. But at least they have a decent shopping center in town. Edgecombe County was hit hard by hurricane Floyd in 1999. Like I said Pinetops actually had people plunked from their attics and rooftops. Now we have had our fill of hurricanes over the years but I have never had to be plunked off a roof top yet. As for the schools, Brianna was in the 5th grade (May, 2005) the year I went to her awards day and I was not impressed at all with the schools. They appeared to be older, the teacher to student ratio was high on the student end. But Edgecombe County is quite large and the northern end might be different. I am only really familiar with the southern end of the county that borders Pitt County.

[Beffrey2]

Well, to get straight to the point. Are you black or white? Edgecombe is a mostly african american county. It is the poorest county in NC, and has some of the worst schools. Southern Edgecombe is very rural. The towns are very small (pine tops)....It would be the area I would pick though. The country is very nice there. Don't plan on making much money off of your house there.

[mhogan10010]

Forget about Tarboro.
I lived in Greenville, but had close friends in Tarboro. If you are coming from CT, you will be better served to consider somewhere outside of Raleigh.
I was there for the 99 floods, and yes the entire region was a mess.
It is not going to be an easy area for outsiders to adjust to.
If you are from there, I am sure that it is great. However, as an outsider, I can't imagine choosing to live there.
Greenville is 40 miles from but about 30 years ahead of Tarboro.

[clodhopper]

I live about 17 miles from Tarboro, 4 miles from the Edgecombe Co. line. I came down in '84 from Va. and I absolutely did notice that the area was about 20-30 years "behind" my hometown of 300,000 people. And it sure has been nice!

Coming from CT, it will be RADICALLY different that what you are used to. But I would think you would probably realize this straightaway? It is the rural South and mid-eastern NC, with all the attendant good and bad.

For me the good has far outweighed the bad. I have never regretted coming down. I am reminded of just one of the many positives every time I get in my car and turn onto the deserted (in comparison) roadways.

The local people have always been super. They are not yahoos or idiots...they live in a quiet rural area dominated by agriculture. I guess I'm local now...it really has never been an issue.

Did I mention I rent a brick 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch, with a wired shop, on an acre, with 1 neighbor across the road and the next nearest about 1/4 mile away...for 460.00 monthly?

It's all about perspective and what you are really looking for I guess.

[CASKHA]

This information is very helpful. Thanks again ALL.

Originally Posted by clodhopper

I live about 17 miles from Tarboro, 4 miles from the Edgecombe Co. line. I came down in '84 from Va. and I absolutely did notice that the area was about 20-30 years "behind" my hometown of 300,000 people. And it sure has been nice!

Coming from CT, it will be RADICALLY different that what you are used to. But I would think you would probably realize this straightaway? It is the rural South and mid-eastern NC, with all the attendant good and bad.

For me the good has far outweighed the bad. I have never regretted coming down. I am reminded of just one of the many positives every time I get in my car and turn onto the deserted (in comparison) roadways.

The local people have always been super. They are not yahoos or idiots...they live in a quiet rural area dominated by agriculture. I guess I'm local now...it really has never been an issue.

Did I mention I rent a brick 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch, with a wired shop, on an acre, with 1 neighbor across the road and the next nearest about 1/4 mile away...for 460.00 monthly?

It's all about perspective and what you are really looking for I guess.