Raleigh/Durham or even Chapel Hill (Carrboro, Trinity: apartment complexes, rentals, crime)

[Brick82]

I'm considering moving to the Raleigh/Durham are or even Chapel Hill because I have heard it was nice.I work for Wholefoods so I need to be close to one but I read a lot of reviews and statistics and it seems like the Raleigh/Durham area aren't too safe. I also know that everyone is flocking to those areas making the cost of living skyrocket so all the apartments I saw were expensive unless you want to live next door to a crack house.

Cna anyone tell me whats really going on in the are or perhaps some suggestions on where to look. I don't have a car so I need to be close enough to walk or on a busline.

[Francois]

it seems like the Raleigh/Durham area aren't too safe.

There are "unsafe" parts in any city--Durham gets the worst rap for its east-of-downtown area, and in Raleigh it's the Southeast--but overall, crime is one "con" that you very rarely hear assosicated with this area. We have several Whole Foods in the area so you could be near any of several.

[Gatornation]

The area right around all the Whole Foods here are pretty safe. Overall most areas here are safer compared to the avg. city.

[Brick82]

Originally Posted by Francois

There are "unsafe" parts in any city--Durham gets the worst rap for its east-of-downtown area, and in Raleigh it's the Southeast--but overall, crime is one "con" that you very rarely hear assosicated with this area. We have several Whole Foods in the area so you could be near any of several.

Thanks!
I know there are bad parts in every city but I've been searching for an apartment or house. My credit sucks and I'm trying to find something affordable near Wholefoods but when I read the apartment reviews for places in the city it's quite frightening.

[RaleighRocks]

Most of Raleigh is safe, especially West Raleigh, most of North Raleigh, and most areas "inside the beltline". Raleigh is a great city. We go to Whole Paycheck alot (the one on Wade avenue)!..Durham is more of a mixed bag, but West Durham is fine, especially around Duke Univ...Forget apartment complexes, they wont let u in with bad credit.

[saturnfan]

We pay around $700 for a great safe 1BR apt in North Raleigh, Northridge Crossings.

Some rents are high, but you can find a good unit at a reasonable price if you try.

[GucciLittlePiggie]

on a related note, we're looking at 2 apartments, one in raleigh and one in durham
in raleigh it's the Exchange at Brier Creek located at 9240 Bruckhaus Street.
in durham it's the Southpoint Village Apartments located 313-100 Village Circle Way in south durham (27713)

does anyone have any idea as to the safety or niceness of these areas, or even know anything about the apartments themselves? thanks a lot, it's really hard to judge this stuff from their webites ;-)

[Moonwalkr]

I would think both Brier Creek and Southpoint areas are relatively crime-free, since they are in nicer areas.

[jill7930]

The Durham Whole Foods is across the street from Duke's East Campus. There are lots of rentals around there, mostly catering to students, though many tend to be rental houses meant for several people. There are some apartments not too far though. I can't speak to your credit issue, but it should be easy to find rental housing easily walkable from Whole Foods.

Just a few blocks away is Duke's Trinity Park neighborhood, which is one of the more expensive ones- so the area has that going for it. There was a semi-recent mugging in the Whole Foods parking lot, but it was at like 3 a.m. or something. That area is not particularly unsafe, one just needs to use common sense practices about being out in the middle of the night.

Many people like living near that part of town known as the 9th street district for its proximity to restaurants and downtown Durham (which has had an explosion of new restaurants, the farmers market etc.).

[ausmerika]

Chapel Hill, and esp. the area around Whole Foods, is very safe. As another poster pointed out, no city is without issues though. Chapel Hill can be rather expensive, so if you look toward that I would recommend checking apartments in Carrboro. It's an easy commute to the Whole Foods, and on buslines. Plus the bus in Chapel Hill is free, and safer than in Durham.