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While I am not familar with New Trier Township, I did take a gander at the website. And to answer your question above. No, the schools in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill are not comparable to New Trier High School. In Raleigh/ Durham/ Chapel Hill you will find much more racial diversity. It's hard to tell socio-economics by just a photo so I won't make assumptions about New Trier Township's financial status. But here there is a fair amount of economic diversity too. A bit less economic diversity in Chapel Hill but it's still there. Given this you might be trying to compare apples to oranges.
Personally I like the fact that my children are exposed to diversity and we don't live in a mono-culture like we did in Portland. They are learning things that can't be measured by SAT scores or Ivy League acceptances.
Last edited by PDXmom; 06-23-2008 at 07:48 PM..
Reason: typo
which school system has the best combination of academic programs and youth/high school sports programs.
I think you need to look at some of the schools in Raleigh (and other parts of Wake), Chapel Hill, Durham to start with. No one can answer this question for you b/c htere are too many variables. For example, best sports programs...which sports? What is "best"? Meaning they've won a lot of championships? Taht might be great for some kids but for others it's a guarantee they'll be benched as the level of play is too high for them. Broughton (sp?) has very high level sports. Some families love this and choose this school b/c of it. I know others who have moved their kids to private school so they'll be in a less competitive atmosphere and actually get to play (they aren't stellar athletes but love sports). Ultra competitive is what some people want and what others want to avoid, etc.
As has been mentioned, there are some very strong schools in the area. Which of them is right for *you* is something only you can decide.
I am a little familiar with New Trier HS and I would say that Chapel Hill will be comparable. A few schools in Wake County might be, particularly Enloe HS, but that is a total crap shoot as to whether or not you'll get in since its a magnet.
Wake Schools aren't necessarily bad (although there are a few I would avoid), but IMO education just isn't a top priority here like it is in other areas. That has been a huge disappointment to us. Our taxes are very very low here and although I don't want them to rise to the crazy levels of some places, I'd gladly pay a little more to improve education.
Basically the schools in Wake get the bare minimum unless they are magnet schools.
What are the traditionally strong high schools sports programs in football and basketball? Although our son is an elementary age student we would like to live in a community that feeds into a good high school program.
New Trier is a township. It serves an area with a population of approximately 60,000, the average home price is over $1,000,000 and it is over 90% white. It is slightly diverse with around 400 blacks living in the township, a few thousand asians, and very few hispanics. New Trier can be compared to areas like Fairfield County, CT and maybe La Canada Flintridge, CA. It is a very strong prominant old money area. It is on Chicago's North Shore which is probably the highest concentration of high income communities in the US. It is much more thoroughly weathy than Fairfield County, etc. There is a road called Sheridan Road that is over 30 miles of mansions, not kiding, and all of that is not New Trier. New Trier is just the wealthiest. New Trier communities are Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Northfield, Northbrook, and Glenview. Look up the town profiles and see how it would compare to some of the Raleigh area please.
New Trier is a township. It serves an area with a population of approximately 60,000, the average home price is over $1,000,000 and it is over 90% white. It is slightly diverse with around 400 blacks living in the township, a few thousand asians, and very few hispanics. New Trier can be compared to areas like Fairfield County, CT and maybe La Canada Flintridge, CA. It is a very strong prominant old money area. It is on Chicago's North Shore which is probably the highest concentration of high income communities in the US. It is much more thoroughly weathy than Fairfield County, etc. There is a road called Sheridan Road that is over 30 miles of mansions, not kiding, and all of that is not New Trier. New Trier is just the wealthiest. New Trier communities are Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Northfield, Northbrook, and Glenview. Look up the town profiles and see how it would compare to some of the Raleigh area please.
Thank You
I grew up in Fairfield County and New Trier might compare demographically to New Canaan, Darien, etc. It is not going to compare to anywhere in this area in terms of being homogeneously affluent. That said, Chapel Hill might be the closest thing, but we're talking about two different worlds. Also, I do not know whether or not this is important to you, but I remember that part of Chicago to be somewhat moderate to conservative. Chapel Hill is very liberal and proud of it. There are definitely neighborhoods in the Triangle where you might find very expensive homes (e.g., Hasentree), but not an entire town.
having moved to the RDU area from Dallas-Ft Worth to attend university, you have to understand that RDU is not yet a 'metropolitan' area, meaning vast suburban communities, with their own school system. Many of the 'suburbs' or what will be, still have the feel of small town commuter bedroom communities. Such places like Wake Forest, Knightdale, Rolesville, Clayton, Fuquay Varina, Apex, Cary, etc are all self-governing and old little towns which are outgrowing themselves. Cary is more established and has a lot $$$$ but unlike the North Shore of Chicago, Cary has diverse housing as well. You'll find multi-million dollar homes in Cary as well as $95,000 older homes.
Also, outside of Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools, most of NC operates on a county system. So it's very hard for people to compare and give you exact areas or schools and answer your question directly b/c areas like New Trier don't exist here, in terms of an all economically homogenous suburban community, it's probably more 'neighborhoods' like that here similar to the cities you mentioned in Chicago but not self-governing suburban towns per se with that type of high concentration of income wealth all living under a municipal government. Both Cary and Chapel Hill are well known areas of high # of upper middle class & rich but both communities have lower working areas as well. Moreso in Cary than maybe Chapel Hill. But CH is an older community
Chapel Hill probably comes the closest, since it is a college town and less dense. Very expensive, well-educated population from the various university communities in the area. Excellent school system, academically. However, I know the area you speak of (Chicago) and Chapel Hill is culturally vastly different. It's not Republican territory, and WASP ol'guard, per se. CH does have old homes as well as influx of new McMansions. And diversity is important or seen and welcomed
As for Raleigh, I would say Hayes Barton puts you in mind of North Shore. Maybe more older homes but very similar demographically & racially. The neighborhood is inside the Beltline and on the north side of downtown. Very old & white similar to the North Shore. Not priced as expensively but it puts you in mind of what you're maybe talking about. Also far N. Raleigh is high priced & newer as well, above Strickland Rd/I-540.
Broughton HS feeds into those neighborhoods (Hayes Barton). In terms of overall sports, I would say Broughton has the top HS athletic program in Raleigh. Their football is ok, not great, and they've had decent basketball programs as well. Raleigh Charter, Ravenscroft & Cardinal Gibbons are the top private schools in Raleigh. Ravenscroft probably is the best athletically. Leesville & Wakefield are more 'new money' schools per se. Enloe Magnet might be the best school in the city.
I can't think of who has the top fball/bball program in the area, since it's been so long since a Raleigh based HS has won state. I know Millbrook and Garner do well in football and more known as 'football factories' but I Garner is more of a blue collar burb of Raleigh with some upscale areas. And Millbrook is more a neighborhood HS.
Cary has had some top programs as well in football over the yrs. Chapel Hill's 2 HS have never been great in athletics though. The newer HS (East Chapel Hill) is more affluent, per se, does well in the olympic type sports.
Overall, I agree with the sentiments expressed by locals, I would say Chapel Hill in terms of feel or flavor. Not as 'red' or 'Republican' but definitely a lot of old money and educated. Certainly Raleigh has a few neigborhoods, Hayes Barton area as well. But in terms of 'overall' feel, I would say Chapel Hill
I live in Westchester County NY and demographically, my area sounds like the area of Chicago that this poster currently lives in. To sum it up, no racial diversity - wealthy - top schools - beautiful homes - high achiever families. I have been to Chapel Hill several times - it is no where near the same culture. You have to visit the area to get a feel. I went to the elementary schools in Chapel Hill. They are very diverse in comparison. I am not bashing Chapel Hill mind you - we are planning to move there. I really like Chapel Hill. I am simply trying to explain to the poster that you can not compare the culture. It is very different. It is very liberal - almost too liberal for me (and I think of myself as liberal). No two areas are alike - so you have to weigh the pros and cons of wanting to move. You really have to visit a few times and check out the schools and area (restaurants/shopping/culture) to see for yourself what it is like. Also, although we want great schools for our child, I sometimes think that is overthought and sometimes overrated. I work for a highly regarded company in my industry and we have very talented people who are making top dollar salaries (high Manhattan salaries) and I think maybe 2 out of 30 came from Ivy league schools. Those 2 are not top level either - they are mid level. You don't HAVE to come from the best schools to be successful.
Last edited by LisaZ; 06-26-2008 at 10:05 AM..
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best combination of academic and sports programs
