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Why is New Bern on this list? I wouldn't consider it safe. Crime is an issue here. There was a home invasion a few streets over not long ago. The schools aren't great, the shopping is horrible, movie theater is run down, etc. It lacks decent amenities. But hey, at least we have a murky river, right?
In fact, I'm not sure why most of these towns are on this list. Someone was paid off.............
These are the five factors determining who made the list of best cities to live in North Carolina.
Odds of Being a Victim of a Violent Crime
Commute Time
Income
Residents Who Attended Some College
Restaurants Per Capita
Credit Donkey, a credit card comparison company who conducted the study, says:
“Picking the right spot to settle down is no easy decision. "
Living near a major metropolitan area such as Raleigh-Durham offers a broader range of options when it comes to jobs, schools and homes but it also means a higher cost of living.
Smaller towns, on the other hand, offer the southern hospitality you’re looking for at an affordable price. We’ve put together a list of cities that offer the best of both worlds when it comes to work and play.”
They forgot Flat Rock. If Hendersonville is #2 then Flat Rock has to be #1. Sidewalks are rolled up promptly at 8PM and ~50% of the population is on Medicare.
Why is New Bern on this list? I wouldn't consider it safe. Crime is an issue here. There was a home invasion a few streets over not long ago. The schools aren't great, the shopping is horrible, movie theater is run down, etc. It lacks decent amenities. But hey, at least we have a murky river, right?
In fact, I'm not sure why most of these towns are on this list. Someone was paid off.............
New Bern was recently reported to have a significant increase in average income, which is one of the criteria, as well as education (think retirees) and restaurants (NB has some nice ones). Its commute time is negligible...and its crime is likely not as bad as many make it out to be.
I think many are misinterpreting this info...they are looking at crime rate, wages, commute time...and Goldsboro and Fayetteville are fairly safe cities....and they also have jobs and close by housing. That makes sense as they are military towns.
You may not want to live there but it doesn't mean they don't meet that criteria.
I think there are many, many safer cities in NC than Goldsboro and Fayetteville....that have much better job and recreational activities.
Same thought popped in my head. I'm assuming they meet the criteria, but the stories I've heard about crime in Goldsboro and Fay are cringe worthy. Wouldn't live in any of those places unless the job's salary was stupendous.
I think many are misinterpreting this info...they are looking at crime rate, wages, commute time...and Goldsboro and Fayetteville are fairly safe cities....and they also have jobs and close by housing. That makes sense as they are military towns.
You may not want to live there but it doesn't mean they don't meet that criteria.
People are reacting to the list because it's at odds with reality. The study claims to be a list of "The Best Cities in NC", which it isn't. If it had simply been titled "The Best Affordable Towns in NC", then it would be less inflammatory though perhaps still a bit inaccurate since Asheville and Hendersonville couldn't possibly be on such a list since they're not the most affordable for their size.
Quote:
Odds of Being a Victim of a Violent Crime
Commute Time
Income
Residents Who Attended Some College
Restaurants Per Capita
1. Why not Violent Crime Rate per Capita? That would seem more sensible. While I cannot find county-by-county statistics on this, I am fairly confident some of the towns on the list are far from the safest and some major cities do quite well comparatively.
2. Traffic... sure it's is a fair cop. I think generally this is something that will look worse the larger a city gets, so I'd expect this to pretty much be an inversion of the NC cities listed by population. This is probably the only thing on the list that is empirically acceptable.
3. This is blatantly false. There is no way the list uses income, and the fact that it claims to can be refuted pretty quickly with a 1 minute google search.
4. Residents who Attended Some College. So... that is a very shaky metric. Why not go for something less nebulous and say percentage of residents with a 4-year degree? Probably because that would tell a similar story to median income. It's a story that everyone on C-D knows without having to look and it's the reason deep down people have trouble accepting this list.
5. Restaurants per Capita. I get the feeling the list is looking at how many McDonald's and Arby's are in the area and not how many local restaurants. I don't know that. It's just a hunch. But I'm pretty sure it's meaningless in the format they're using it.
So... With all that said... I'll point out yet another category that I'm shocked they didn't include. One would think that it would be slightly important. What's the point of moving to a small town to save a buck if there are no jobs there?
Fayetteville and Goldsboro? Seriously? Nonsense. Total nonsense.
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