Please compare Raleigh, Charlotte, and Charleston (Greensboro, Durham: appointed, chapel, neighborhoods)

[auntgoldi]

Hello,

My husband and I are likely moving from Westchester, NY to either SC or NC very soon (raleigh, charlotte, and charleston are the contenders) and need all the info we can get. (He has received a job offer that will allow him to live in one of these three areas.) It seems that raleigh and charlotte offer more job opportunities (I am a recent graduate of a Mental Health Counseling master's program), cultural activities, nightlife (bands, restaurants), as well as somewhat decent proximity to the beautiful mountains of asheville and the beaches of wilmington. Charleston looks really beautiful (and we LOVE going to the beach). We are looking for an area that provides nice weather, more laid-back people, sufficient outdoorsy activities and beauty, job opps, and somewhat of an artsy or cultural "scene." (We're in our mid-thirties and love seeing live bands, going hiking, going to the beach, having a drink now and then, going to restaurants, etc.)

Thank you for any info!

[raleighmsa]

auntgoldi, you are facing some tough challenges here. Either city would be an excellent choice. Here is my 2 cents, and I will try to remain as objective as I possibly can.

Charleston
Unbeatable historic fabric and a better overall experience, if you like good old urbanity. Sure, the suburban areas can be as sprawled as any other place, but the core of the city is a gem, if you have the money to live there. On the negative side, it is hotter and more humid than both Raleigh and Charlotte.

Charlotte
It is the big city of the Carolinas and it shows. Big, but not "suffocating". Charlotte is a city with a good vision, great initiatives and many opportunities. Its leaders have guts and they are not afraid to take good chances, as we saw with their light-rail line. Not many cities can succeed in this department. Decent transportation, a lot of up and coming neighborhoods near Uptown and an overall good economy. Good sports venues and a continuously improving nightlife and arts scene. If you are into skylines, Charlotte will not disappoint... Far from it. Also, while laid-back, Charlotte's population is not backwards. Proximity to Asheville, Greensboro and Winston-Salem is a plus. On the bad side, Charlotte is too sprawled for my taste and I wish they had preserved a little bit of their old fabric.

Raleigh
I can tell you a lot more about this city because I live here. Smaller than Charlotte, but larger than Charleston. Good pace of life, great universities, state government - take this as good and bad, but if Mental Health is your field, state government may be a plus - great hospitals, good nightlife, museums and a decent arts scene. One of the biggest pluses for Raleigh is that you can enjoy it without living in it... Durham and Chapel Hill are close enough to do bar-hoping between cities (sort of). Three different municipalities that offer great opportunities, especially if you are into arts. Durham is probably better than Raleigh and Charlotte in that respect. Raleigh's skyline is underwhelming for the city's status, but at the street level Raleigh isn't bad. If you like hockey, well, the Hurricanes are here Proximity to Wilmington is a HUGE plus, in my book. On the bad side, public transit here leaves much to be desired and the city leaders lack guts.

Best of luck in your decision. No matter which city you choose, you will not be disappointed.

[meanieme]

i have nothing more to add then to say raleighmsa's post is GOLDEN.