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I agree that the term "best" is not accurate...and the 5 categories are somewhat questionable.
Maybe the income category was in relation to the cost of living....I mean 45K will get you a lot further in Fayetteville than it will in Cary, right?
Commute time definitely favors the smaller cities...I have no idea why folks commute 30-45 minutes in the large cities, is there not nice neighborhoods near where they work?
Finally...look at some of those maps closely that Vatnos put up....for those that like to label Eastern NC as some backwoods, desolate place...the unemployment rate, the median household income and the amount of folks with bachelors degree's along the coast are fairly comparable to the Piedmont...save a few counties like Wake.
Commute time definitely favors the smaller cities...I have no idea why folks commute 30-45 minutes in the large cities, is there not nice neighborhoods near where they work?
As I lived in the Washington DC area, I know why people commute 30-45 minutes to work. They can't afford to live near work! That certainly might be true for the Triangle also, as the desirable neighborhoods are becoming less affordable. When you hear about $500-600K for houses in Cary, those are not affordable to working class folks.
Another reason is that they want acreage for horses, dogs or kids. Another reason is that they have family in the small town where they grew up. Some of my in-laws commute an hour each into Durham or Raleigh.
As I lived in the Washington DC area, I know why people commute 30-45 minutes to work. They can't afford to live near work! That certainly might be true for the Triangle also, as the desirable neighborhoods are becoming less affordable. When you hear about $500-600K for houses in Cary, those are not affordable to working class folks.
Another reason is that they want acreage for horses, dogs or kids. Another reason is that they have family in the small town where they grew up. Some of my in-laws commute an hour each into Durham or Raleigh.
That's a great point...and a fact that seems to be lost on many. If all the houses in your community are 500K, crime is low, your commute time is less than 30 minutes, you have lots of restaurants, and all of your neighbors are college grads...does that make you the "best" community?
What if you don't have 500K? Where should you live then?
That's a great point...and a fact that seems to be lost on many. If all the houses in your community are 500K, crime is low, your commute time is less than 30 minutes, you have lots of restaurants, and all of your neighbors are college grads...does that make you the "best" community?
What if you don't have 500K? Where should you live then?
It does in my book! It means raising your kids in a safe, clean, education focused environment with plenty of amenities and great healthcare. You don't need $500k. You can find a townhouse or an older home for 300k. Or you can live further out (but still in a nice area), and get a new home for $300k.
Last edited by escapenc; 06-09-2014 at 11:57 AM..
Reason: forgot
Obviously some of you get my point...you can live in a fairly good neighborhood in Fayetteville or Goldsboro for 150K...that probably wont buy a condo in Cary.
It's easy to say this or that place is great...but it doesn't mean folks can afford it.
Interesting list, but I have to say it personally shocked me. I was expecting Apex, Wake Forest, and Chapel Hill but none are on this list.
10. Reidsville- A typical NC Upper Piedmont town, I imagine it's growing because it's not a bad commute from Greensboro. Reidsville isn't a bad town, it's nestled in the rolling, pretty, and quaint hills of Rockingham County. I believe Reidsville was a tobacco town in the old days. However, I'm kind of shocked to see it on this list. It's not bad like I said, but there are so many better places to live.
9. Hickory- A little shocked to see this one, too. Hickory is nestled in the foothills, so it's a pretty area, but it's not the best town to live in IMO. Kind of dull and dead in some areas.
8. Fayetteville- You can't be serious, Fayettnam? Maybe a few nicer areas, but pretty dangerous overall. Can you ever turn on the news without hearing about some shooting or robbery in Fayetteville?
7. New Bern- Coastal city with loads of history and a nice downtown. Birthplace of Pepsi and home to the historic and beautiful Tryon Palace. Would I live in New Bern? No, most towns in Eastern NC are not the best places to live, let's be realistic here. Would I visit on a day trip? Of course!
6. Goldsboro- How did this town make the list?!?! Like I said, most Eastern NC towns are not nice places to live, and Goldsboro is an example. Not vibrant at all, poverty stricken, and remote in a bad way.
5. Kernersville- Basically a suburban town between Winston-Salem and Greensboro. Not a bad place to live at all, pretty safe and a easy drive from both Winston-Salem and Greensboro. Plus, it's not too far from the mountains and a ton of fun places like Mt. Airy, Hanging Rock State Park, and Pilot Mountain State Park.
4. Asheville- Amazing city IMO! Very vibrant, full of young people, cool restaurants, music venues, and fun shops. Nestled in the mountains and surrounded by plenty of other fun areas and hot spots. Job market might not be the best, though.
3. Belmont- Not very familiar with this town.
2. Hendersonville- Mountain town south of Asheville, but again, I've only driven through a few times. I liked what I saw, though.
1. Mooresville- A pretty nice town, a bit further from Charlotte despite what most people would like to think, but quite a peaceful, little, Piedmont town. Number 1 on my list? Probably not, but it's not a horrible pick.
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.”
I am amazed at how many people on these forums are so quick to judge a city or a town and have never really been there and just assume things by what they have heard and read, some of our states best and brightest cities have crime ridden areas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, etc each city has one believe me they do and these cities have managed to move forward and that is something each city has to do, apparently the towns and cities that made the list have something positive going for themselves or they would have not made the list. You may not want to live there but it is what it is.
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It means raising your kids in a safe, clean, education focused environment with plenty of amenities and great healthcare. You don't need $500k. You can find a townhouse or an older home for 300k. Or you can live further out (but still in a nice area), and get a new home for $300k.
