Mt. Airy/P.Mountain/W.Salem (Raleigh, Winston-Salem: crime rate, homes, job market) - City-Data Forum

looknc · 10-24-2006, 10:27 AM

Hello Everyone...

My husband and I are thinking of relcoating to NC from GA. Does anyone have any suggestions on the 3 cities listed above? I've heard tons on Mt. Airy & how nice it was. I worry it's too small but, I like that feel.
Our main concern is schools. We have an adopted child that is African American and we want to make sure we are in a diverse area. Where we live in GA is a melting pot of a little bit of everything and we love that feel. We want to be in an area where we too can get a little of everything. We want our child to grow up around all kinds of different people. We are non judgemental & think a little of everything makes the world go round!

All and any information would be helpful.

Thanks,
Mary

adionne · 10-24-2006, 11:42 AM

I am intersted in seeing what replies you receive as my family and I are looking to relocate there this summer. I have heard many great things about the town, the only negative being the high crime rate - burglaries.

Steven2149 · 10-24-2006, 12:06 PM

I'm in the same boat. We are looking to move to the Winston-Salem area from Atlanta early next year. I have tried to get a response a few times, but noone seems to give much info on the region. This one person, Cassie, whom I am sure is reading this puts the area into sort of a negative light. Please, no offense intended. I like the area because I grew up pretty close to W-S. I like the smaller size and lower crime, traffic, etc... compared to Atlanta. I think the job market there is okay, depending on what you do. But I know it's not in the same league as Atlanta, but that's okay too. I don't believe that it's quite ready for entry into rust belt status. I really like the fact that you can work in the city and live 15 - 20 miles out and be in a nearly rural area. Here, you have sprawl and traffic congestion for an easy 50 miles away from the city in any direction.

adionne · 10-24-2006, 09:15 PM

I had a lovely conversation with a lady by the name of Betty at the Chamber of Commerce. She gave me a lot of insite on the town..all positive of course. It sounds like exactly what my family and I are looking for. Apparently there was an article about Mount Airy in the Wall Street Journal recently which has attracted a lot of attention and inquires to the area. I was unable to find the article on-line. Please let me know if you have any luck. Thanks!

Lee LaVallee · 11-13-2006, 04:17 PM

For those of you considering moving to Mt Airy and could not find the Wall St Journal blurb...here ya go:

http://www.realestatejournal.com/buy...03-greene.html

Mt. Airy is absolutely fabulous. You are only a short drive 30-45 minutes from Winston-Salem, city-of-the-arts. Check out the City Guide for 2006 in the Winston-Salem Journal:

http://specialsections.mgnetwork.com/index.cfm?siteid=wsj&project=cityg02&page=69&typ=p (broken link)

Also particularly page 69:

http://specialsections.mgnetwork.com/index.cfm?siteid=wsj&project=cityg02&page=69&typ=p (broken link)

The NC School of the Arts is located in Winston-Salem with world class artists in concert such as Itzahk Perlman (here last week):
http://www.ncarts.edu/music/guest_artists.htm (broken link).

Joshua Bell was here recently at Wake Forest University:

http://www.wfu.edu/wfunews/2005/012405b.html

Peter Brunette, film critic WFU-who attends the Canne Festival each year-resides in Winston-Salem and had a private screening here for the Aviator Film!

http://www.wfu.edu/art/brunette.htm (broken link)
http://www.indiewire.com/ots/2006/02/berlinale_criti_1.html (broken link)
http://www.press.uillinois.edu/s05/brunette.html

Maya Angelou lives here...and I am sure you all know who she is and what a wealth of energy and talent she brings to town:

http://www.mayaangelou.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou

YOKO ONO- exhibit at SECCA- South Eastern Center for Contemporary Art which represent 9 of the south eastern states for contemporary art:

http://www.a-i-u.net/entrance_jacqui.html

If you want more information about the arts, area or homes in NC, please send me an email or visit my website:

http://LeeLaVallee.realtor.com
www.Luxuryhomes.com

Thanks,

Lee

alice_61 · 11-13-2006, 07:57 PM

We visited Mt. Airy two years ago when looking for towns to move to in NC. It seemed like there were significant White, Black, and Hispanic populations in town. I do not know what the relations between everyone is like, though. The housing stock seemed good, with a range of ages and sizes. The town has a very good Main St feel with sidewalks, etc. There is a granite quarry in town and most of the public buildings are made of large slabs of granite, which is unusual for NC. I like the topography and climate there. It is down from the mountains but not as hot and flat as the Raleigh area. The public library was designed by Mazria, a famous solar designer ~1980 and it won several AIA awards. It has excellent daylighting. What was disappointing to me about it was how few books were on the shelf. There were all these shelves that were less than 1/3 full. Somehow the town built this library but didn't seem to fund it well. (I always check out the library in any place that I consider.)

Alice