Worst towns in NC? (Raleigh, Winston-Salem: crime, house, buy)

[ncsu99]

Originally Posted by mhogan10010

Fayetteville (of course)
Kinston
Grifton
Conetoe
Rocky Mount
Tarboro
Columbia
Robersonville
Williamston

At least that's a good start.

Whoa! Whatcha got against all of these towns? I used to live in Rocky Mount, and have been to every one of those communities. You gotta give some defense for your list there! Personally, I'd have to say Chapel Hill. Too much baby blue!!

[Madjax]

In Cleveland County I would have to say Kingstown and Light Oak.. mainly Shelby is dangerous.... for no reason.

[John Law]

You're asking for specific towns to avoid but you need to be more observant of areas on a regional scale.

Really, what you want to avoid, are areas where the commerce/growth potential is minimal. You will want to avoid places where the main source of income is largely manufacturing/mill/industrial work, towns where the education level is marginal, and towns that were once fed by the railway system but which are located far from any of the towns that are now experiencing growth. Many times, these things go hand in hand. I hate to say it about my home state but this covers a fair amount of towns here. These towns are experiencing the "place that time forgot" syndrome.

You do have to be careful because these towns especially have crime in schools; with kids carrying guns and knives and so forth. The list is too large to really compile. You need to come down here and do some research or try to piece together your own list. I know this state very well. Some people on this thread have already mentioned a few towns that you should avoid. Listen to them. Towns that are in the deep rural "Down East" area is where you will find many of these "post Eastern Seaboard" towns. Don't forget about the hog lagoons down there too!

If you want to get technical, and you should since you are thinking about moving your family here, get a NC map and a compass and do "radial checks" around the towns here that you know are growing. Give yourself an area to hunt. Then, come on down and do field research. Talk to people. Get brochures. Bring a camera and take pictures. I think that is the best way to find which places you should avoid.

Oh, and if you stop by my house while you're down here I've got a southern pulled pork BBQ family recipe that'll knock your socks off.

Happy hunting and welcome to NC!

[mhogan10010]

Originally Posted by ncsu99

Whoa! Whatcha got against all of these towns? I used to live in Rocky Mount, and have been to every one of those communities. You gotta give some defense for your list there! Personally, I'd have to say Chapel Hill. Too much baby blue!!

Fayetteville - Hot miserable military town. High Crime and Low everything else.
Kinston - Poor economy - Awful health care - Crumbling Infrastructure
Grifton - Same as Kinston only worse.
Conetoe - Have you really been there? The worst kind of rural slum.
Rocky Mount - Ugly - No personality - Downtown dead.
Tarboro - Dying economy - Racially intolerant.
Columbia - Nothing there but pine trees and fire towers.
Robersonville and Williamston - Backwater Redneck Havens.

This is just imo. Not interested in debating. Obviously some people love living in these places. I just could not give people a recommendation to do so.

[YorkshireLass]

When I first read this thread my immediate was response was Kinston. My husband was a pilot for USair express and spent many a night in the eastern part of the state, he always said that Kinston was a "toilet town". I finally had the opportunity to see for myself several years ago when we took the "scenic route" to Beaufort NC. Having spent most of my life in the western part of the state I have to say that most eastern NC towns fit the description of "worst places to live" imo. However, imo Kinston's one redeeming quality is Kings Barbecue and their "pig in a pup" no matter how terrible the rest of the scenery I always have to go through Kinston when we make our yearly trek down to Beaufort.

[tarp]

Lumberton is pretty lame as well.

[Beffrey2]

Originally Posted by ncsu99

Whoa! Whatcha got against all of these towns? I used to live in Rocky Mount, and have been to every one of those communities. You gotta give some defense for your list there! Personally, I'd have to say Chapel Hill. Too much baby blue!!

For each one of the towns he mentioned.....

Crime, crime, crime

racial imbalance....just being honest.

The schools are dumps

downtowns are ran down, houses downtown are ran down

the people who live there seem to not care

I also don't want to argue. Just being honest about what most people think about those particular eastern NC towns.

I say durham though....to much dark blue.....

[Teressah]

Originally Posted by Beffrey2

For each one of the towns he mentioned.....

Crime, crime, crime

racial imbalance....just being honest.

The schools are dumps

downtowns are ran down, houses downtown are ran down

the people who live there seem to not care

I also don't want to argue. Just being honest about what most people think about those particular eastern NC towns.

I say durham though....to much dark blue.....

I believe you, that is what these threads are for, to be honest and completely helpful for others here. If someone doesn't like what you say...oh well...
We are going to Hickory, to see relatives in Conover, for Thanksgiving! We are checking out: Hickory, Hendersonville, Asheville and Mooresville. Mooresville is as east as I will go.
Asheville sounds like a dream come true, if only my husband could get work there, he's a graphic artist. I do property management work. We have a 4 year old, so a nice suburb/city is important to us!!

[Beffrey2]

Although Kinston is number one on the list for worst NC cities. I think they have the best chance of one day turning this around. I have faith in the Global transpark. It WILL take off one day as planned. They only built the place 8 years ago. It takes a while for these things to take off. It took RTP a while to get going as well.

Kinston will be a large city one day. K-town will before any other eastern NC town.

[ncsu99]

Originally Posted by mhogan10010

Fayetteville - Hot miserable military town. High Crime and Low everything else.
Kinston - Poor economy - Awful health care - Crumbling Infrastructure
Grifton - Same as Kinston only worse.
Conetoe - Have you really been there? The worst kind of rural slum.
Rocky Mount - Ugly - No personality - Downtown dead.
Tarboro - Dying economy - Racially intolerant.
Columbia - Nothing there but pine trees and fire towers.
Robersonville and Williamston - Backwater Redneck Havens.

This is just imo. Not interested in debating. Obviously some people love living in these places. I just could not give people a recommendation to do so.

I guess I'd have to agree with you on just about every front there. I just have a soft spot for Eastern NC. That's where my family is and where I've lived all my life. I'd probably never give any of these towns a second look if I had no ties to the area, and I too would have a hard time selling any of these communities to someone thinking of moving to the area. Truthfully, I'd never really want to live in Conetoe or Columbia (way to small; too far away from any work), but for me Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Kinston, or Williamston would suit me fine. I'd just want to be within a hour to either Greenville or Raleigh for a decent job. If I were lucky enough to not have to work, I'd just love to have 50-100 acres of land somewhere in Central or Eastern NC to build a nice house, do some farming, and just be left alone! Just my 2 cents.