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I think to me, I'd say Tennessee feels more southern to me than North Carolina. Mainly for the fact that more of the northeastern types have more often relocated to North Carolina, than they have Tennessee. And the halfback term has often referred to those moving from the northeast to Florida to NC moves, over time.
And NC has more areas attracting people out of state to move there, than Tennessee.
Currently, in 2023, North Carolina feels "less southern," than Tennessee.
However, Tennessee is experiencing fast in-migration from folks all over the country, and it is changing the state's pure southern feel and culture--slow in some areas, fast in others.
The Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga areas are seeing an influx of transplants from the west coast, as well as Florida and the midwest. The tri-cities region in the northeast part of the state has become a retirement destination, for those looking to escape Florida's humidity, have nice mountain views, as a break from FL's flat terrain.
Memphis is slower-growing than most any area of the state, so it is not changing as quickly as the rest of the state.
North Carolina's western mountains have pockets of appalachian/southern influence still, but much of the area has transplants and it has become a ski-resort destination/vacation hotspot. Asheville is outrageously expensive and feels like a very mini Denver, CO.
Charlotte is loaded with transplants, as-is the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill areas. I'd say Greensboro-Winston-Salem are maybe the 'purest southern' metro area in the state, but that is debatable.
But all-in-all, when compared, Tennessee is definitely still more southern than North Carolina, present day 2023.
I think the Triangle and Charlotte get so much attention, that the rest of the state is pigeonholed as something it isn’t. There are roughly 6 million people living in Greenville, Hickory, Fayetteville, Winston-Salem, Lexington, Laurinburg, etc. Even parts of the Triangle are pretty far removed from Cary-style suburbia (Lillington and Siler City and Benson for example).
Currently, in 2023, North Carolina feels "less southern," than Tennessee.
However, Tennessee is experiencing fast in-migration from folks all over the country, and it is changing the state's pure southern feel and culture--slow in some areas, fast in others.
The Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga areas are seeing an influx of transplants from the west coast, as well as Florida and the midwest. The tri-cities region in the northeast part of the state has become a retirement destination, for those looking to escape Florida's humidity, have nice mountain views, as a break from FL's flat terrain.
Memphis is slower-growing than most any area of the state, so it is not changing as quickly as the rest of the state.
North Carolina's western mountains have pockets of appalachian/southern influence still, but much of the area has transplants and it has become a ski-resort destination/vacation hotspot. Asheville is outrageously expensive and feels like a very mini Denver, CO.
Charlotte is loaded with transplants, as-is the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill areas. I'd say Greensboro-Winston-Salem are maybe the 'purest southern' metro area in the state, but that is debatable.
But all-in-all, when compared, Tennessee is definitely still more southern than North Carolina, present day 2023.
I don't deny that NC has a bunch of transplants. It still feels extremely southern. Transplants do dilute culture and all but places can keep character while evolving. And that seems to be exactly whats happening in NC as well as other places like Atlanta.
Why Knoxville over Chattanooga or Memphis? Why the Triad over Fayetteville or the Unifour?
Never been to Chattanooga, and Memphis feels Southern but not stereotypical if that makes sense. I chose the Triad because it’s large and seems stuck in a 1982-2002 time loop.
Never been to Chattanooga, and Memphis feels Southern but not stereotypical if that makes sense.
Actually it doesn't. You believe Knoxville to be more stereotypically Southern than Memphis, the city Tennesseans apparently believe was dropped in their state accidentally from neighboring Mississippi?
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I chose the Triad because it’s large and seems stuck in a 1982-2002 time loop.
Among the big three, I get the mention of the Triad. Statewide, it gets a bit more competitive IMO.
Maybe I’m coming at Memphis from a different angle simply because I’m a tourist. But the things I saw and did in Memphis were fairly unique to Memphis. But I’ve never travelled through Mississippi, so maybe Memphis feels like that. I’m not inclined to think Mississippi is more Southern than other states though, so there is also that.
Tennessee is like the epitome of the south and North Carolina is barely southern. Tennessee of course.
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