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 a single 38 yr old woman who moved to Wake Forest a year and a half ago from San Francisco, and I have found it to be quite a difficult adjustment (CULTURE SHOCK!!) In general (not for everyone I've met, of course), my experience has been that it is much more conservative, religious, and less laid-back than what I'm really comfortable with.
I have spent some time in North Raleigh and liked the area, as well as Brier Creek, but still find that I am far more liberal and free-spirited than most of the people I've met.
Numerous people have told me they thought Durham or Chapel Hill/Carrboro would be a better fit for my personality... Chapel Hill and Carrboro are rather expensive and seem to be mostly college kids or older professors (correct me if I'm wrong). I don't know the Durham area well at all... I have some appointments I go to on Broad Street near Northgate Mall. There seem to be some really cute shops and restaurants and places with live music around there, and the people I see walking around seem likely to be more laid back just based on attire, etc, but I have heard so many horror stories about how dangerous Durham is that it scares me. I've also heard there are many up and coming areas, and great pockets to live in. I just don't know where the good and the bad areas are. Having lived in SF, I'm used to a good neighborhood being right next to a sketchy one - which I'm fine with so long as I know where the sketchy ones are and to avoid them (and so long as the crime doesn't extend into the good areas).
I'm selling my house here, but I've no idea where to go next. I don't know that NC will be my final landing point, but right now I want to be nearer to my family (who is also in Wake Forest) than 3000 miles away so I think I've got at least a few more years in the triangle. Plus the area is slowly growing on me (except for this past winter - yuck). I just don't know where to meet like-minded individuals and am hoping some of you are on here and can help me out!!
You need to consider the source when people tell you Durham is dangerous. Have they ever actually been there?
Where are you working? There are good neighborhoods in central Durham and north Durham, but north Durham can be a tough commute depending on where you work. (There are good neighborhoods in south Durham, too, but you might find it more suburban.) Search this board for old threads on this topic; it comes up repeatedly.
I've lived in the Triangle for over 20 years. Came from Chicago (city) and always longed to live in the burbs, but couldn't afford it. I lived in Raleigh first, which most of it I consider suburban, but worked in Durham. I eventually moved to Durham as it had more of that urban feel I was used to. I did live in Chapel Hill for a few years, but it was too expensive for housing. I've lived in Durham near Southpoint for the past 10 years and it's a great location. Quick drive to Chapel Hill, Raleigh, right by RTP, even a quick ride to downtown Durham. I think Durham is the most diverse city here and is overly exaggerated insofar as crime. I'd be happy to take you on a tour if you like. Really, it's a great place to live!
AS J-Lurk mentions, it depends where you're working (you haven't said). There are plenty of great places in Durham that are very safe yet not all 2000s-era "Stepford" neighborhoods, either (SW Durham is largely like that). SE/E Durham is really the main part you'd need to worry about. That leaves much of the North and NW.
There are some great old neighborhoods such as Old North Durham, Old West Durham (I think Old West Durham actually has a contingent that marches in the gay pride parade--held in Durham--every year even though they are mostly heterosexual. Does that answer your question about "liberal, laid-back"). Other areas like Trinity Park (all in the same general area--basically N and W of the "old downtown" have very strong communities, nice older houses, tree-lined streets, etc. Many of these 'hoods have their own websites you can poke around, as well.
Many who share your views go to Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (aka ERUUF). I'm not a member and I'm not plugging them, necessarily, except that they might be someone to contact and ask about neighborhoods in Durham that fit your bill (you could call and just say you were looking for an area in Durham that fits UU's philosophy).
There are plenty of great places in Durham that are very safe yet not all 2000s-era "Stepford" neighborhoods, either (SW Durham is largely like that).
While the neighborhoods in SW Durham are mostly newer (90s and 2000s) you will find that the PEOPLE in SW Durham are NOT Stepford like. You'll even find liberals! Shocking I'm sure.
OP, I moved from an urban neighborhood in Portland, OR to the burbs of Durham. Most singles that I have met are fond the burbs here.... loads of kids. But many of us with kids socialize w/ the kidfree too.
Durham is more liberal than Wake Forest. But coming from Portland, I still find the liberal spots (even Carrboro/ CH) to be much less liberal. Chapel Hill Cboro is liberal in an academic sense, which I find to be very different than the West Coast Liberal Vibe. But like you, we moved here to be closer to family. Plenty of things I love about the Triangle area. And there are plenty of things that I still truly miss about Portland.
In Durham check out the areas around Duke, Trinity Park, Old West Durham, Central Park area, Duke Forest, Forest Hills, Rockwood, and Watts Hillandale. If you want a realtor for Durham send me a pm and I'll send you the name of a hip, Durham-centric office.
Chapel Hill and Carrboro are rather expensive and seem to be mostly college kids or older professors (correct me if I'm wrong).
You're right about it being expensive, but wrong on the "mostly college kids or older professors" part. Most people there have no affiliation with the University.
I'm a single 38 yr old woman who moved to Wake Forest a year and a half ago from San Francisco, and I have found it to be quite a difficult adjustment (CULTURE SHOCK!!) In general (not for everyone I've met, of course), my experience has been that it is much more conservative, religious, and less laid-back than what I'm really comfortable with.
I have spent some time in North Raleigh and liked the area, as well as Brier Creek, but still find that I am far more liberal and free-spirited than most of the people I've met.
Numerous people have told me they thought Durham or Chapel Hill/Carrboro would be a better fit for my personality... Chapel Hill and Carrboro are rather expensive and seem to be mostly college kids or older professors (correct me if I'm wrong). I don't know the Durham area well at all... I have some appointments I go to on Broad Street near Northgate Mall. There seem to be some really cute shops and restaurants and places with live music around there, and the people I see walking around seem likely to be more laid back just based on attire, etc, but I have heard so many horror stories about how dangerous Durham is that it scares me. I've also heard there are many up and coming areas, and great pockets to live in. I just don't know where the good and the bad areas are. Having lived in SF, I'm used to a good neighborhood being right next to a sketchy one - which I'm fine with so long as I know where the sketchy ones are and to avoid them (and so long as the crime doesn't extend into the good areas).
I'm selling my house here, but I've no idea where to go next. I don't know that NC will be my final landing point, but right now I want to be nearer to my family (who is also in Wake Forest) than 3000 miles away so I think I've got at least a few more years in the triangle. Plus the area is slowly growing on me (except for this past winter - yuck). I just don't know where to meet like-minded individuals and am hoping some of you are on here and can help me out!!
TIA!
Come move here to Fuquay our little corner of a real nice subdivision. We are from NYC and we have a few other liberal neighbors. We stick it to all the conservatives and religious types here. We spend a whole lot of time in Chapel Hill Carrboro Durham and Raleigh. Its a nice fit.We just watch what we say to who we are talking to.
You need to consider the source when people tell you Durham is dangerous. Have they ever actually been there?
Correct. Definitely consider the source. Take me for example. I have lived in Raleigh for 32 years. I know the entire region fairly well. I've been to Durham countless times (more than I care for). While there are parts of Durham that are safe most parts of Durham make me uncomfortable including the Northgate mall area. Durham reminds me of Jamaica; a pretty, comfortable, friendly resort that someone could easily get used to until you leave the resort and reminded you are actually surrounded by a giant ghetto.
If you want to know how liberal the Durhamites are watch the way they attack me after just merely giving my opinion on the place even though I was asked for it.
Correct. Definitely consider the source. Take me for example. I have lived in Raleigh for 32 years. I know the entire region fairly well. I've been to Durham countless times (more than I care for). While there are parts of Durham that are safe most parts of Durham make me uncomfortable including the Northgate mall area. Durham reminds me of Jamaica; a pretty, comfortable, friendly resort that someone could easily get used to until you leave the resort and reminded you are actually surrounded by a giant ghetto.
If you want to know how liberal the Durhamites are watch the way they attack me after just merely giving my opinion on the place even though I was asked for it.
OK - Here's another opinion from someone who has lived almost 1/3 of his life in Raleigh, but chose to leave for Durham. The vast majority of Durham is quite safe. In general, much of Durham outside of the Southpoint area is not as new and shiny as many parts of Raleigh, Cary, etc..., but that doesn't mean it is unsafe. I find Durham to be much more genuine, open-minded, and diverse than the other communities in the Triangle. I think you could find the type of scene you're looking for in some of the communities previosly mentioned like OWD, OND, Trinity Park, etc... Safety is clearly a concern, so I'd advise against a currently gentrifying area like Cleveland Holloway.
Oh, and FWIW to underPSI, I am politically unaffiliated, fiscally conservative, libertarian & an environmentalist. Hardly what I'd call a conservative.
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.