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.
I'm beginning a side hobby of mine, of breaking down the demos of Raleigh neighborhoods. I have a mostly clear idea of the city but it's the peripheries that I'm questioning.
Because Raleigh, like most southern cities, grew in part thru various annexations, there aren't hard boundaries on what is considered East Raleigh, West Raleigh, North Raleigh, South Raleigh, and even Downtown. Compared to the way you find in northern or western cities, where there are mostly understood boundaries of when you go from one side of the town to the next.
So I'd like to enlist Reddit's help in this, where are the boundaries between:
•North Raleigh and East Raleigh?
•North Raleigh and West Raleigh?
•Northeast Raleigh and Northwest Raleigh?
•Southeast Raleigh and Southwest Raleigh?
•South Raleigh and West Raleigh?
•South Raleigh and East Raleigh?
•Downtown and East Raleigh?
•Downtown and ITB?
•Downtown and West Raleigh?
•Downtown and South Raleigh?
•What are the ITB boundaries period?
This is all fun to me, and it's all based on opinion. Basically, where are you when you cross from one part of the city into the next?
I have a pretty good idea on most of these but I do want to hear from yall to help me crystallize and even change my opinions, so I look forward to the responses!
I'm beginning a side hobby of mine, of breaking down the demos of Raleigh neighborhoods. I have a mostly clear idea of the city but it's the peripheries that I'm questioning.
Because Raleigh, like most southern cities, grew in part thru various annexations, there aren't hard boundaries on what is considered East Raleigh, West Raleigh, North Raleigh, South Raleigh, and even Downtown. Compared to the way you find in northern or western cities, where there are mostly understood boundaries of when you go from one side of the town to the next.
So I'd like to enlist Reddit's help in this, where are the boundaries between:
•North Raleigh and East Raleigh?
•North Raleigh and West Raleigh?
•Northeast Raleigh and Northwest Raleigh?
•Southeast Raleigh and Southwest Raleigh?
•South Raleigh and West Raleigh?
•South Raleigh and East Raleigh?
•Downtown and East Raleigh?
•Downtown and ITB?
•Downtown and West Raleigh?
•Downtown and South Raleigh?
•What are the ITB boundaries period?
This is all fun to me, and it's all based on opinion. Basically, where are you when you cross from one part of the city into the next?
I have a pretty good idea on most of these but I do want to hear from yall to help me crystallize and even change my opinions, so I look forward to the responses!
In my 10 years here in the area, I'd simply love to know how far north does North Raleigh extend? I have a Raleigh zip code, but do not live within the city limits. Does North Raleigh extend beyond I540? Does it extend all the way to Rte 98? Beyond?
Personally, I really dislike the N, NW, NE, SW designations. The geographies are generally too large, and non specific. Is someone who lives say in Parker Falls really in the same geographic area as someone who lives in North Ridge? I think both folks would say they live in N. Raleigh. Yet, they're over 10 miles and around a 20 minute drive from each other.
In my 10 years here in the area, I'd simply love to know how far north does North Raleigh extend? I have a Raleigh zip code, but do not live within the city limits. Does North Raleigh extend beyond I540? Does it extend all the way to Rte 98? Beyond?
Personally, I really dislike the N, NW, NE, SW designations. The geographies are generally too large, and non specific. Is someone who lives say in Parker Falls really in the same geographic area as someone who lives in North Ridge? I think both folks would say they live in N. Raleigh. Yet, they're over 10 miles and around a 20 minute drive from each other.
Only 5 years here, but I'd say I don't consider anything beyond 540 as Raleigh with the exception of Brier Creek and the Falls River areas because they actually fall within the city limits. Parker Falls is well beyond the city limits to even be considered Raleigh in my opinion...
I'm not really a fan of the "NE/NW/SE/SW" designations either, and honestly as I've lived here, you don't really hear locals speak like this, with exception to Southeast----->and those locals are just as likely to say "Southside" or "South Raleigh" as they are to say "Southeast". Those three terms seem to be equally interchangeable, but it is the only geographic term I've found that people really use with any sort of regularity...
It's very rare to hear anyone say they are from/live in/are going to "Southwest", "Northwest", or "Northeast". It's not really local jargon outside of Raleigh media...
So, in my view, I do think there are some demographic and culture shifts from NE to NW Rgh, and from SE to SW Rgh, and in general from the eastern side of the city to the western half. But I also think it's relevant to point out that Raleighites by and large, really just use "North Raleigh", "South Raleigh", "East Raleigh", "West Raleigh"...
Let me state for tge record, how much I've grown to love this city. Which I guess has as much to do with my evolution as a person, I was 29 when I got here late April/early May 2019, I'm 34 now...
When people lament that Raleigh is culture less, it's really just that it's harder to grasp here because of the "new" growth of the city on the national radar. It's not something you'd be able to really grasp as a visitor, and I'm saying this from experience as I had visited here probably upwards of 10 times before ever moving here. It's one of those cities you have to live in and actually try to be a part of the citizenry to see...
I keep finding nuggets here, this city is multiple cities inside one, which goes against the opinion there isn't culture or personality here. West Raleigh is really it's own thing. Inside The Beltline, specifically north of Downtown, is similar to some of West Raleigh and North Raleigh but ultimately, is it's own thing. There isn't anywhere else in the city quite like the Southeast, though there are some parallels with parts of East Raleigh. North Raleigh is massive in area and is certainly a city unto itself. Downtown Raleigh is a real downtown, even if on the smaller side...
Each area of Raleigh has its own unique vibe and personality, and I have so much fun learning and exploring different areas of town. Also, the city is definitely mostly suburban, no question about that, but there are pockets of good urbanity all across the city as measured in built form, pedestrian activity, and amenities. I think the wider perception of the suburban:urban ratio of Raleigh is not quite what the city is in actuality....
I'm beginning a side hobby of mine, of breaking down the demos of Raleigh neighborhoods. I have a mostly clear idea of the city but it's the peripheries that I'm questioning.
Because Raleigh, like most southern cities, grew in part thru various annexations, there aren't hard boundaries on what is considered East Raleigh, West Raleigh, North Raleigh, South Raleigh, and even Downtown. Compared to the way you find in northern or western cities, where there are mostly understood boundaries of when you go from one side of the town to the next.
So I'd like to enlist Reddit's help in this, where are the boundaries between:
•North Raleigh and East Raleigh?
•North Raleigh and West Raleigh?
•Northeast Raleigh and Northwest Raleigh?
•Southeast Raleigh and Southwest Raleigh?
•South Raleigh and West Raleigh?
•South Raleigh and East Raleigh?
•Downtown and East Raleigh?
•Downtown and ITB?
•Downtown and West Raleigh?
•Downtown and South Raleigh?
•What are the ITB boundaries period?
This is all fun to me, and it's all based on opinion. Basically, where are you when you cross from one part of the city into the next?
I have a pretty good idea on most of these but I do want to hear from yall to help me crystallize and even change my opinions, so I look forward to the responses!
So to quote my OP, let me first try to define the parameters, again with an understanding that Raleighites don't really speak in the smaller geographies besides "Southeast". But this is a rough understanding of the borders here, I welcome anyone who differs with how they view the boundaries!
North Raleigh/East Raleigh
I think split at the Raleigh Blvd/Skycrest Dr line. As in, everything north of there is N Rgh, everything south of there is E Rgh. The Iceplex I think can really be placed in either, but I don't think it's debatable that once you go north of the Iceplex, that **** ain't East Raleigh. And if you go south of the Iceplex you're just too far south to be considered N Raleigh...
North Raleigh/West Raleigh
Not quite as confident here, but I do NOT think Rex is North Raleigh, I think it's a real stretch to place it there. So then the invisible boundary has to be north of there, and I'm okay with Laurel Hills Park kind of being where N Raleigh starts if you're going north on Edwards Mill, or where W Rgh starts if you're going south on the same avenue...
Northeast/Northwest divide
I think this is pretty clear, it's Six Forks. If you're East of Six Forks, you're in NER, if you're west, you're in NWR. I think Six Forks is a really obvious boundary as it runs literally the length of N Rgh and there are some clear demographic shifts both east and west of Six Forks...
Still and all to be clear though, I've found it to be rare that locals say "I live in/I'm going to/I'm from Northwest/east Raleigh". It's all widely just considered North Raleigh but maybe there's an innate understanding that if you have to break it down further, you are either NE or NW...
North Hills is kind of a unique hood that straddles both NER and NWR, as you can live on either side of Six Forks and still be in North Hills. The North Hills CBD literally sprawls across Six Forks on both sides lol...
I also wanna say, anything above 440 is North Raleigh. People ITB north of downtown don't consider themselves as North Raleigh, which is going to take me to the next one...
North Raleigh/Inside The Beltline
ITB is really it's own unique borough. 440 is the hard boundary, though they do kind of bleed into each other rather seamlessly on both sides of 440. But there is a slight break in development around 440 if you're going from one into the other, and I think that slight break is relevant...
Also there's no secret that much of Raleigh's old money is concentrated in ITB, its a unique cultural characteristic. Not that there isn't old money in N Rgh and other areas of town, because there absolutely is but I don't think a section of the city is as defined by the old money families as ITB, north of downtown, is...
South Raleigh/East Raleigh
I think this is pretty debatable, I think South Raleigh in general has some pretty debated borders. Can't say for sure but I think part of this is unfortunately rooted in racial perceptions of the city rather than geography, but whatever the case may be, I think the borders of South Raleigh on all sides are contested...
What I will say is that I don't think anyone considers anything north of New Bern as South Raleigh. Bit it's the pocket between New Bern/MLK or New Bern/Poole that gets contested, as I've heard this pocket almost equally referred to as Southeast or East Raleigh, depending on who the speaker is...
For my money, I just don't consider anything north of MLK as South Raleigh, you are either Downtown or on the Eastside once you go north on any avenue across MLK. But again, I've heard it go either way by locals, it really just depends on who is talking...
South Raleigh/West Raleigh
Slightly less contested. The Sam's on S Saunders is the "Southside Sam's". Literally just two miles away is the state Farmer's Market, and I have never once heard anyone refer to that as "South/Southside" of anything. I do think the Farmer's Market is on a border like the Iceplex is, so I consider Lake Wheeler Rd to be the unofficial boundary between S Rgh and W Rgh...
Southeast/Southwest divide
To the extent that there is a "Southwest Raleigh", honestly I think most of it is just West Raleigh. "Southside" and "Southeast" are used interchangeably by residents on that side, whereas very few people ever use "Southwest Raleigh" in common speech...
If there is a dividing line between SE and SW it's gotta be Saunders. Because I can say with certainty locals from Hertford Village or Rush St or Garner Rd call that "Southeast"/"Southside". So Saunders would have to be the border, but if you were gonna call anything SW Rgh virtually all of it is West of Lake Wheeler and would generally be considered W Rgh, right?
South Raleigh/Downtown
I think this is easy, it's MLK. Shaw is just north of MLK and is considered Downtown, no one calls Shaw the Southside...
I will add that a unique geographic thing for Raleigh, is the crossover with Southeast and the city if Garner. In reality most of Garner isn't that distinguishable from Southeast. Wake's "Southeast Regional Library" is in Garner, and that shopping center around 5th Ave and the Garner police station is right there, that's Southeast...
Anything along Garner Rd west of Jones Sausage is basically Southeast. Garner Station Blvd is South Raleigh...
So while all of it is technically Garner, we all "know" that, Garner is really indistinguishable from the Southside until you hit White Oak if youre on 70, or until you go south of 7th Ave, or south on Timber past Home Depot. Everything north of these identifiers is essentially South Raleigh...
That Walmart in "Garner" is ****ing South Raleigh lmao...
Last edited by murksiderock; 03-04-2024 at 04:45 PM..
Just a thought, but seems like mailing addresses and zip codes don't mean much, at least south of Raleigh.
Here it seems that a single Raleigh zip code ( 29603 ) includes pieces of Garner and Fuquay Varina ( even though we are no where near either town ). Those "pieces" don't seem to connect at all with the actual towns of Garner and FV. I lived here for five months before I realized I was actually living within Garner town limits. And throw a rock across 401 and hit FV.
I call it South Raleigh but probably more correct to say South of Raleigh.
Just a thought, but seems like mailing addresses and zip codes don't mean much, at least south of Raleigh.
Here it seems that a single Raleigh zip code ( 29603 ) includes pieces of Garner and Fuquay Varina ( even though we are no where near either town ). Those "pieces" don't seem to connect at all with the actual towns of Garner and FV. I lived here for five months before I realized I was actually living within Garner town limits. And throw a rock across 401 and hit FV.
I call it South Raleigh but probably more correct to say South of Raleigh.
Yeah most of 27603 geographically is "South of Raleigh". In that zip South Raleigh proper ends once you go south of Tryon. Some northern parts of Garner are realistically South Raleigh, but Wake Tech's original campus is in this zip and that's not anything that could, or should, be considered Raleigh...
East Raleigh/Downtown
Boy anything Downtown is debatable because as Downtown grows, it's footprint expands. Just how far east does DTR stretch?
Some people might consider St Aug's "downtown". I don't. The Oakwood Cemetery is too far east to call "downtown". Chavis Park is also too far east to me. So I guess if I put a hard line on it I would say East St is the line, anything east of East is East Rgh, anything west of East is Downtown. But I think there is some leniency with how far east people stretch DTR...
East Raleigh/ITB
Capital and the train tracks east of it, I think are a clear marker of being further east than what is generally viewed as "ITB". But is the Mordecai area north of Peace viewed as Downtown, East Raleigh, or ITB even though it's east of the tracks? I don't have a clear answer on this. How connected is Mordecai to Five Points and areas north of Capital, and how connected is it to St Aug's and areas east of Oakwood?
My gut would tell me to lean than Mordecai is more an ITB area but it's probably evolving into Downtown. I have a hard time viewing it as E Rgh but maybe I'm wrong...
West Raleigh/Downtown
This is easy to me, west of Glenwood South or St Mary's is West Raleigh, east of St Mary's you're in Glenwood South, which is DTR...
The neighborhood formerly known as Cameron Village, now known as the Village District, is West Raleigh...
West Raleigh/ITB
Another one I don't have a clear picture on. So west of 440, south of Laurel Hills, is West Raleigh. But when you're east of 440 inside the beltline, is any of that really West Raleigh?
I would say ITB's southern boundary is Wade, western border is 440. Meredith and State lie south of Wade, and while technically yes they are "inside the beltline", so is St Aug's, so is WakeMed, so is Lake Johnson. I think Raleighites generally understand that there's a culture to what is considered "ITB", and if you're just talking the full scope of ITB...
The area that I've found people refer to as ITB as a destination, are the areas north of Wade, east and south of 440, west of Capital. That's a city unto itself....
All the other areas that are technically inside the beltline, again I think we all know what ITB is in technicality, and what it is culturally. Most of ITB is the most developed areas of Raleigh but there are some quite suburban areas in ITB...
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.
