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Hi,
i'm currently working and living in Edenton. I like it a lot however its really not close to anything. Closest big box store is walmart which is about 30 mins away. We do have small local businesses but its mostly boutiques and antiques.
There is a lot of history in the town of Edenton. I love everything about the downtown part of edenton but once you get outside of town it becomes all farm land. In the town of Edenton you have the good side and the bad side. Good side is really really expensive for houses bad side is really really cheap for houses but most house in the bad side are pretty rundown.
As for the people in Edenton. Its a town where everyone knows everyone. Lots of people in this area grew up in this town and never left or had family that lived here and moved to be closer to family. Also we have a lot of people from up north moving down to Retire on the sound. The people are friendly though everyone has there little group of friends and it usually goes down to which church you attend.
If you are looking for a small town and can entertain yourself with minimal things to do around you Edenton is great. If you are looking for a place like the triangle Edenton would not be anything like you want and I would not suggest it. Things move a lot slower around here.
Also if you are looking a retirement community you should look at Albemarle Plantation. Is about 15 mins away from Edenton in Hertford. Is a very nice community with lots of things going on. It is in the middle of nowhere but its directly on the sound and its a little closer to shopping than Edenton.
Edit: Just read your post about still needing to work. Good Jobs in Edenton are very hard to come by. Mostly farm work, textile, and healthcare. We have a very nice hospital here.
Its hard for edenton to grow because there is such a lack of jobs here. most young people grow up and leave to find jobs in other places. If you are looking to open a business here it is a great place to open one b/c the commerce is always looking for new business but lots of businesses around here don't make it to long. just to small of a community to support a business.
I also wanted to see if anyone knows of possibly a 55+ older community in those areas? I've heard New Bern is turning into a retirement area.
There are no *organized* 55+ communities in my area, but many retired folks live in Chadwick Acres and the North Shore Country Club areas of Sneads Ferry. It's a very quiet but attractive and in-expensive area. We are 2-3 miles from North Topsail Beach, and have basic shopping available. We go to Jacksonville or Hampstead for other amenitites. You might also like Swansboro or Morehead City for a somewhat more developed area.
Hampstead, while it does not have the feel of the Triangle it might fit the close to the beach and close to restaurants etc. Wilmington has a lot of restaurants and shops. And Hampstead is pretty close to Wilmington. If you pick the Northern end of Hampstead you are close to North Topsail beach, but a little bit further from Wilmington.
Personally my favorite is Beaufort and the Morehead City area. But it is lacking in big box and retail. The closest shopping is Jacksonville which is a military town. But I love Beaufort & Morehead for it's charm and a few local restaurants. Not to mention all those BEAUTIFUL live oaks dripping in Spanish moss and views of the sound. It's just heaven.... as long as you can tolerate the extra humidity .... daily steam baths in the summer.
BTW, if you move before the kids are out of school, Croatan (Morehead area) High School is one of the best high schools in the state, beating out many of the Triangle High Schools.
If you're looking for places with a lot of retirees, look into Brunswick county (Southport, etc) between Wilmington and the SC line. You'd have two metro areas (Wilm. and Myrtle Beach) and two airports within range, and the Brunswick towns have really been growing (Brunswick was one of the fastest-growing counties in NC from 2000-2010, I think) and "modernizing". I have been going to the beach there once a year since the 80s and really seen a big difference in the past 5 years or so.
If you're looking for places with a lot of retirees, look into Brunswick county (Southport, etc) between Wilmington and the SC line. You'd have two metro areas (Wilm. and Myrtle Beach) and two airports within range, and the Brunswick towns have really been growing (Brunswick was one of the fastest-growing counties in NC from 2000-2010, I think) and "modernizing". I have been going to the beach there once a year since the 80s and really seen a big difference in the past 5 years or so.
I also wanted to see if anyone knows of possibly a 55+ older community in those areas? I've heard New Bern is turning into a retirement area.
I am from Cary and currently live in New Bern. New Bern is a run-down podunk town that I do not recommend to anyone unless they are 70 plus years old. I do not like it here and look FORWARD to the day I move back to civilization (the triangle).
If you must live near the beach I would recommend the Wilmington/Southport area.
I would definitely suggest a weekend visit to Edenton. It is a beautiful and unique place. It is nothing like the triangle.... you may find that you actually like it better than! Edenton is about an hour and 15 minutes from a great mall in Norfolk and around an hour and 15 minutes to the beach.
Should you decide to visit, you should visit the Edenton Coffee House. This will give you a chance to meet the transplants and locals and get a good feel for the community.
Does the Tidewater area (Norfolk/Virginia Beach/etc.) count? It's near the North Carolina coast, and it seems (in my opinion and my experience) more like the Triangle than any of the coastal towns and cities that are actually in North Carolina.
I second Tom...I love the Tidewater area it's my second home, lol. I visited the area twice last year for a week each visit. I didn't go this year. I hope to make it back in 2012.
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Have you visited each area
