Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Bumping this thread back up just to get a better idea of the area. Relocating soon and was wondering what towns in CT would compare to Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Chapel Hill.
I visited all but Durham when I visited 3 years ago. From my quick visit these are my comparisons
Raleigh=hartford
Cary=Milford
Chapel Hill=Middletown
Can't wait to explore these areas more. We are renting first just to get to know the area.
Very glad to have stumbled across this thread tonight. As a CT resident for the past 10 years, and having lived in Westchester County as well, I can relate to so much of what the former CT and NY residents said.
We've lived in our home for these past 10 years. The town and surrounding area are nice, sure. Our school district has an excellent reputation.. But something has been missing. Although I'm not the most outgoing person to begin with, it really is quite hard to meet people and cultivate friendships here. And I do have to do a lot of digging to find interesting/fun things for the kids to do, as well as for hub and I!
The NC Triangle sounds like it offers so much. I am really drawn to it. I hope we can begin to explore the area in person soon!
Thank you to all the previous posters, and thanks in advance to any others who may add to this thread!
I'm not sure I'd equate Raleigh with Hartford. I think Hartford may be more similar to Charlotte. Raleigh has a very (very) small urban core but it's mostly somewhat suburban even in the city limits. It reminds me more of another capital city, Albany, NY.
I'm not sure I'd equate Raleigh with Hartford. I think Hartford may be more similar to Charlotte. Raleigh has a very (very) small urban core but it's mostly somewhat suburban even in the city limits. It reminds me more of another capital city, Albany, NY.
I'm with ya on the Albany thought. The skylines are even similar.
I've long since stopped trying to compare areas of the Triangle with other places because it's just too big and diverse in terms of types of neighborhoods. I used to compare my area of North Raleigh with the North Shore of Long Island, but the economic diversity makes that near impossible.
I'm not sure I'd equate Raleigh with Hartford. I think Hartford may be more similar to Charlotte. Raleigh has a very (very) small urban core but it's mostly somewhat suburban even in the city limits. It reminds me more of another capital city, Albany, NY.
ok - i can see Raleigh more like Albany...i was just seeing which city in CT it would closely resemble...def not New Haven or any of the other "cities" in CT i.e. stamford, bport, norwalk, etc...
I'm with ya on the Albany thought. The skylines are even similar.
I've long since stopped trying to compare areas of the Triangle with other places because it's just too big and diverse in terms of types of neighborhoods. I used to compare my area of North Raleigh with the North Shore of Long Island, but the economic diversity makes that near impossible.
Agree, I don't think you can really compare ares of Triangle to other cities...and I'm not expecting or wanting it to be a city in CT...I was more trying to try to get similarities to see what area we may like...I'm very intrigue of Durham but heard about it the area with highest crime (relatively speaking)...but coming from a town next to New Haven and Bridgeport, it should be a cake walk right?
I lived a couple of years in one of the smaller towns around Danbury and worked in Westchester.
+10. I moved here 19 years ago after living one year in Putnam County. I worked in Danbury. I feel the same way.
I did not care for Connecticut at all. It seemed to me that your identity, and to some degree your social standing, all depended on what town your lived in. I had to attend many public government meetings and public hearings and was surprised at the level of animosity directed towards New Yorkers. I didn't care for what felt like a sense of entitlement and superiority.
I found Putnam Co. even worse. Inadequate infrastructure, great lack of retail, lack of inhabitable apartment rentals. The grocery stores in Brewster and Carmel were so crowded, people would get into shouting matches if someone had 15 items in a 10 item express lane -- I kid you not. Too many crabby, angry people.
When my then-S.O. got a job in RTP, I had no hesitation in giving this area a try. My first visit was when we came down to find an apartment. It is so much different, but was a great change. And after 25 years of gray, Central NY skies, all the sunshine was a great addition.
I am going to disagree on Raleigh and Albany being similar. Raleigh is much more alive then Albany. That town (it does not feel like a city) literally rolls up the sidewalks at 6pm. At least there is new development in downtown Raleigh. New bars, non chain restaurants and new housing coming. I can not say the same for Albany.
I agree both have suburbs with big box stores but Albany and the surrounding areas are still somewhat depressed ( or they make me feel that way), you are not having the massive building boom there that you have here.
As someone that lived and worked in CT and is now a resident of the Tar Heel state, I am going to have to say that I don't think Raleigh, Cary and Chapel Hill are close to any of the cities in Connecticut. If anything, Durham is similar to New Haven. Both, are home to top universities, have a great food scene (New Haven tops Durham in food in my humble opinion), have some stereotype of being dangerous (I find there to be a lot more "safer communities" in Durham than in New Haven) and have a great cultural scene.
Very glad to have stumbled across this thread tonight. As a CT resident for the past 10 years, and having lived in Westchester County as well, I can relate to so much of what the former CT and NY residents said.
We've lived in our home for these past 10 years. The town and surrounding area are nice, sure. Our school district has an excellent reputation.. But something has been missing. Although I'm not the most outgoing person to begin with, it really is quite hard to meet people and cultivate friendships here. And I do have to do a lot of digging to find interesting/fun things for the kids to do, as well as for hub and I!
The NC Triangle sounds like it offers so much. I am really drawn to it. I hope we can begin to explore the area in person soon!
Thank you to all the previous posters, and thanks in advance to any others who may add to this thread!
You don't explore much in and around New Haven? Amazing, amazing restaurants. East Rock Park, Sleeping Giant park are so much fun to hike (and not necessarily flat terrain that is more fun with a road bike). The board walk in and around New Haven is also lively.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
