Job in Roxboro-need advice (Durham, Chapel Hill: rental, chapel, hotel)

[~amy~]

A new job is going to be relocating us in the Roxboro area from Ohio. We have 2 children (10 and 12). We want to live in the country, maybe with a little land, in a good school district that is mostly rural. Looking maybe for a 30-40 minute drive from the Roxboro area in any direction. What would you suggest for country bumpkins like us?

[mdp_az]

Person County, where Roxboro is located, is quite rural and should provide the country setting you're looking for. I have no knowledge of the school system there, however. Just south of Roxboro is Bahama in northern Durham County. This area is zoned for great schools located in the more rural northern part of the county and yet has a similarly rural feel to Person County. Another plus is that it does put you pretty close to Durham if and when you get the itch to head into town for shopping/dining/arts/etc...

[~amy~]

I heard that Person Co. was pretty nice, but just wasn't too sure of the demographics of Roxboro? Can't seem to find anything about the school districts there. I know the farther south you go seems to be where EVERYONE is relocating...the triangle....I don't want to be in an area where it is over populated and crowded. We aren't city folks...we like quiet country living. I will do more research on PERSON COUNTY. Thanks

[mdp_az]

Northern Durham County is anything but overcrowded. You'll hear references to northern Durham and some growth there, but if you look at Google Maps for ZIP 27712, you'll see Inifinity Road running E/W across the county. Most things north of there are rather rural and much different than the rest of the Triangle. Bahama has lots of nice acreage and horse properties. There are also a couple of other places up that way called Rougemont and Timberlake that might be worth checking out.

[badger77]

I attended Person County Schools for grades 6-12. It is decent for a rural district and a good education can be had as long as the student is willing to make the effort. Northern Durham county is nice but Northern High School, where you would be assigned if you lived in Bahama or Roughmont, does have some gang problems. You might want to consider the rural areas near Hillsborough in Orange county to the southwest. Hillborough has a nice historical district and a more sophisticated vibe than Roxboro. It is closer to Durham and Chapel Hill and the schools have a good reputation. Caswell County to the west and Granville County to east are both rural counties. I don’t think either offers anything in education or amenities that you could not find in Person County.

[~amy~]

Thanks for your suggestions...we will just have to check them out when we come down this weekend. Any hotel recommendations? I haven't seen any with indoor pools? That is strange. EVERY hotel up here has indoor pools.
Another thing is we want to rent when we first move just to get a better feel of everything and to find our way around more to see what areas we like best. Any rental companies anyone knows of would help.

[House Lady]

one of the most beautiful areas in the Triangle. I was in the Rougemont area showing property tonight and it always puts me in a good mood. Northern Durham and southern Person counties are know as "horse country" and are just lovely. My friends get sick of hearing me talk about it. Roxboro is a nice town, but you will not want to live there, given what you have described about yourself.
I will have to be brutal here...the rural areas are not the best for schools...true anywhere in the area. If top schools are a priority you will need to consider less rural areas or private schools. You do not say the age of your kids, but there are some great options in Durham and Orange County, as Badger77 has stated.
There are fewer indoor pools in the south, but Google yielded some. Just enter "indoor pool hotel Durham".
PM or email me if you need any help.

[Dbledeez]

It takes about 30-40 minutes to drive from Hillsborough to Roxboro. Orange County for sure. You'll be a fan for life.

[piedmont]

I agree that the countryside outside of Roxboro is really lovely.
I lived in Rougemont for years and loved the drive up 501 N towards Virginia.

Schools may be your determining factor. You might look at Northern Orange County (Carr, Cedar Grove, Schley areas), which would be Orange County Schools. You might also want to look into the Oxford area (Granville County).

If rural schools are okay by you, you have many lovely areas north of Roxboro, towards the Virginia line to explore. You could also look around the Hyco Lake area (waterfront is expensive, but other areas not so much), which is west of Roxboro.

[coltank]

Originally Posted by badger77

I attended Person County Schools for grades 6-12. It is decent for a rural district and a good education can be had as long as the student is willing to make the effort. Northern Durham county is nice but Northern High School, where you would be assigned if you lived in Bahama or Roughmont, does have some gang problems. You might want to consider the rural areas near Hillsborough in Orange county to the southwest. Hillborough has a nice historical district and a more sophisticated vibe than Roxboro. It is closer to Durham and Chapel Hill and the schools have a good reputation. Caswell County to the west and Granville County to east are both rural counties. I don’t think either offers anything in education or amenities that you could not find in Person County.

There are gang members in just about all the schools. They're kinda like rattlesnakes though. For the most part, if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone.