Opinions on Boulder vs. Chapel Hill, please! (Denver, Gunbarrel: real estate, houses) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

VioLynn33 · 04-13-2008, 07:11 PM

I kno wthey are 2 very different towns, but I'm still lookin got somehow quantify them.

We're looking for: natural beauty; connection with the outdoors; progressive community; ease of life; quality of life.

Both have the school were looking for our kids (waldorf) and my husband has an office in both places and I have music opportunities in both places.

We've been to Chapel Hill and are coming to Boulder next month.

just wanted to know if anyone had experience living/visiting both town and could offer a comparison.

Thanks!

sumgai187 · 04-16-2008, 02:01 PM

One has a great university and the other one has UNC.

Sorry, couldn't pass up the opportunity to zing UNC.

I don't know whether I'd compare these two towns at all (outside of them having one of their state's major universities). Chapel Hill is a pretty, green, lush area on the piedmont. Boulder has some trees and is on the eastern edge of giant mountains.

Houses are probably more affordable in Chapel Hill. Weather there is certainly more mild with long Fall, mild Winter, long Spring, hot ass humid summer. Certainly more overcast days there with less sunny days than Boulder.

From what I've seen, Chapel Hill is a nice town, but still pretty far from the mountains and the beach. Like I said, the only glaring commonality I see between the two is some college students. If I was really pushing to compare a North Carolina town to Boulder, it would be Asheville - even then, they're really much too different.

Boulder is better. Go there.

dj32 · 04-16-2008, 02:15 PM

Wow- what great choices to have! Seriously!

Honestly, if it were me, I'd go to Chapel Hill. But, I went to school there and have a lot of family in NC. I think the lushness, the weather and the community feel is stronger than Boulder .I like Boulder, but I live in Denver and have not had the same desire to live there as I do Chapel HIll. Both are great college towns with a lot of the same amenities- culture, nightlife, restaurants (Boulder is probably better in this category) and liberal-bent. I would say that Boulder is a little quirkier, and I"ve also heard it described as somewhat insular... I've also heard that about Chapel Hill though.

Real estate is high in both, but likely a bit cheaper in Chapel Hill. I would bet though that the desirable neighborhoods are equally costly in both. I bet the salary is higher here though.

Stolicakes · 04-17-2008, 07:14 PM

I am currently transitioning from Chapel Hill to the Boulder area. I have been here in CH for 4 years now, and I would NEVER choose to stay here long term. The schools are great IF you can actually get into the Chapel Hill schools. They have broken the district up into CH/carrboro schools and then Orange county schools. This is to make sure that all the rich people in Chapel Hill don't have to share their money with all the poor people who live in the surrounding areas of the county. So there is a HUGE difference in the education your kids will get, depending on if you can afford the really expensive housing and crazy high property taxes.
As far as weather goes it sucks. We got ONE light flurry this winter and that is IT..its been much the same the past few years. You are about 2 1/2 hours from the lowest part of the mountains and 3 or 4 from the beaches. Really your just stuck in the middle of the hot humid piedmont.
Also gas consitantly runs higher here...I just filled up yesterday and it was 3.49 a gallon. I compare that to my aunt who lives in Gunbarrel and paid 3.29 today.

Also if you want to live somewhere that has way too many roads to keep maintained and that you will constantly get lost on move to Chapel Hill!

Basketball season is awesome tho!!!!

VioLynn33 · 04-19-2008, 06:11 PM

Thanks for all the input!

I know they are two very different twons, but they both have what we're looking for and we're trying very hard to discern the differences and see what would be a better for for our family.

Another twist to this: I've spent summers in Aspen. Now I know it's not a "real" town to live in for the average person, but is it possible at all to compare to Boulder in terms of beauty and hiking? I was in heaven while i spent the summers there!

Katarina Witt · 04-19-2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VioLynn33

Thanks for all the input!

I know they are two very different twons, but they both have what we're looking for and we're trying very hard to discern the differences and see what would be a better for for our family.

Another twist to this: I've spent summers in Aspen. Now I know it's not a "real" town to live in for the average person, but is it possible at all to compare to Boulder in terms of beauty and hiking? I was in heaven while i spent the summers there!

Boulder is near the mountains, but it is not IN the mountains. Chautauqua Park, at the very western edge of the city has some moderate hiking trails, but it's not the same thing.

frogandtoad · 04-24-2008, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stolicakes

The schools are great IF you can actually get into the Chapel Hill schools. They have broken the district up into CH/carrboro schools and then Orange county schools. This is to make sure that all the rich people in Chapel Hill don't have to share their money with all the poor people who live in the surrounding areas of the county. !

I live in Chapel Hill and I would personally choose Boulder. however I just had to comment on this! This makes it sound like they just split the schools--Chapel Hill has had its own school system for FIFTY YEARS!! Yeh, it's better than Orange County schools and the properties are more expensive/taxes higher. Just like some of the schools in Boulder are way better than some surounding districts (and the great schools have expensive housing)...it's that way everywhere!!

All that said, I answered this on the NC board and I agree that Boulder is far prettier (though more expensive and chillier winters...)

Katarina Witt · 04-24-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

Just like some of the schools in Boulder are way better than some surounding districts (and the great schools have expensive housing)...it's that way everywhere!!

There are only two school districts in all of Boulder County: Boulder Valley School District in the southern part of the county, and St. Vrain Valley SD in the north county. Secondly, due to the Colorado School Equalization Act of 1989, funding in school districts throughout Colorado is more even than in many other states.

frogandtoad · 05-23-2008, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katiana

There are only two school districts in all of Boulder County: Boulder Valley School District in the southern part of the county, and St. Vrain Valley SD in the north county. Secondly, due to the Colorado School Equalization Act of 1989, funding in school districts throughout Colorado is more even than in many other states.

OK, I stand corrected. I don't know Boulder (although I have heard that there are very different qualities of schools in CO, and I can't imagine that's not true, but I can't say for sure w/o doing a bunch of research which I'm not going to do).

But I do know Chapel Hill and like I said--you pay more to live in a good school district. That is common throughout the country.

Katarina Witt · 05-23-2008, 06:46 PM

The Colorado School Finance Act of 1989 limited the amount of money rich districts could raise and increased state money to poor districts. There is not as much inequity in the Colorado schools as in a lot of other states. High test scores are directly related to parental Socio-Economic-Status, meaning that kids in richer neighborhoos score higher, giving the impression of "better" schools in the wealthier areas. However, aggregated school test scores are no indication of how an individual student will do.