Moving to North Carolina. (Raleigh, Durham: real estate, low crime, chapel)

[steelersfan258]

I was wondering if anyone could please help me. My family is giving some serious consideration to moving to North Carolina. We live in Ohio now and need some positive change in our lives. We are looking for a small community within two hours from the coast. I've read on a few forums that Wake County is a great place to raise a family. My children are 9 and 7 so schools and low crime areas are things to consider. The town that we live in now holds 2,500 people to give you an idea of what we're looking for. also, we have no family in N.C., so we are going at it alone which has us a little nervous. On the job side, I'm an engineer and work in steel which is fading real fast and cross training may be required. I'll see what I can do once we agree on an area. We are traveling to the outer banks next month and may take a trip inland to check some areas out if this post goes well. Thank you very much to those who can offer any suggestions.

[Rtom45]

steelersfan:
Take a look at a map and see if there are any general locations that look interesting. Note some of the towns. Then check the other portion of this website to find good general information about each of the towns. From there you'll have a much better idea, then you can ask some of your unanswered questions. The people on this forum are an excellent source of information. You get better answers if you ask specific questions. (GO STEELERS!)

[al_roethlisberger]

You might also consider posting a similar question, or just browsing the "Coastal" and "Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary" sub-forums as they'll likely have more information on cities/towns within your criteria of 2-ish hours from the coast.

Here's a map showing the Triangle(Sanford specifically) and its relative position to other cities and destinations like mountains and beach:

Live Well Centered.

Good luck!
Al

[niceguy19125]

Something to consider when moving to North Carolina and searching for a town that is smaller (2500 people), you're more than likely not going to feel very welcomed.

Some areas of the state are progressive and towns/cities in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill- Carrboro-Cary) are mixed with natives/non-natives and you won't find that tension. Areas to the south and east of the Triangle are not likely to be as welcoming from my experiences. I lived in the area for 6 years and I'm looking forward to moving back.

Given your wants..a smaller town with good employment opportunities and great public schools...I'd recommend Chapel Hill in Orange County. Many areas in Wake County are becoming overdeveloped and traffic clogged. Prime examples: Cary and Apex. Two boxy McMansion filled suburbs that are car dependent for everything.

Chapel Hill is an excellent place to live and probably has the best standard of living in the area. The town is safe, has great recreational options, has a viable/thriving downtown and is walkable. Because of the presence of the University of North Carolina, there is a mix of folks from all over the US and the world. It is the friendliest place I've ever lived (also lived in Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania).

The public school system is consistently ranked one of the top 20 or so in the nation. The access to major employers in the area without passing through much of the congestion in the Raleigh/Cary traffic sprawl nightmare is a big plus.

Real estate prices are higher but you can find better deals on the outskirts of town but still within school jurisdiction. I would highly encourage you to check it out.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
About the District - Who We Are

[steelersfan258]

This is the kind of information that I was looking for in my post. Thank you for taking the time