Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte, Nashville, or Dallas-Fort Worth?... (life, people, taxes, quality)
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Thank you! My field is in Procurement/Supply Chain Management, but I can do it in any industry. Lately, everybody and their mother has said Raleigh over Charlotte when matching them up. As far as that area is concerned, I would still look at Durham, Chapel Hill, and Carborro as well. Heard some pretty decent things about Carborro.
What's your situation? You mentioned you're a former resident of Charlotte. Where did you end up, and do you like it better than Charlotte?
Oh well given your background, I actually think Charlotte may have an advantage over Raleigh/Durham but all in all, they would be fairly equal. You get a stronger Black cultural vibe in Durham while Raleigh is safer. Charlotte gives you aspects of both in some senses, depending on where you live.
My background is biology/public health and I've lived in a few different places after leaving Charlotte in 2010 to take a job with the federal government and that has been my employer ever since. I live in the DC area now but it's not really an apples to apples comparison with Charlotte. I like both for what they are and what they offer (excepting the COL in this area...ugh).
If you still have ties to the Northeast, then Raleigh-Durham may be a good choice simply for proximity. Just a few hours away from DC by car. We lived there from 1994-1996 and loved it, and I imagine it's a lot more impressive now.
Well I lived in Raleigh for 24 years and can say this pretty confidently, that if you feel Charlotte is bland and suburban I am pretty sure you will get the same feeling in Raleigh-Durham.
And DFW for that matter. Nashville sprawls and has plenty of suburbia also but at least they have an active, vibrant core that has been shaped by the city's history and legacy in a way that can be said of few other cities to make up for it.
And DFW for that matter. Nashville sprawls and has plenty of suburbia also but at least they have an active, vibrant core that has been shaped by the city's history and legacy in a way that can be said of few other cities to make up for it.
They all are mostly "suburban," but there are more urban areas in DFW despite a vibrant DT Nashville. Downtown Dallas's deficiencies are made up for by a more vibrant Deep Ellum on the eastern edge and Uptown to the north. It's kind of similar to how Midtown Atlanta makes up for some of their DT deficiencies. Oak Lawn, Lower Greenville, Knox-Henderson, and Bishop Arts are further away, but very walkable once there.
On the flipside for DT Dallas, it has around 10K living in it (about 50K for "greater" Downtown), a daytime work population of 100K, an ongoing hotel boom, and is the transit hub for the region. You can take a free trolley from there to Bishop Arts or up through Uptown. There's also DART rail. Main Street in the very center of DT is consistently vibrant, with increasing vibrancy on the parallel streets of Elm & Commerce. The Arts District/Klyde Warren Park, historic West End/Dealey Plaza, & Farmers Market are also points of interest.
Then there's Downtown Fort Worth. I'm more of a fan of visiting than living there, mostly because Dallas offers more in general. But it's definitely nice for a weekend visit.
Overall, I'd pick Uptown or Deep Ellum over DT Dallas. But they're all very close to each other and have something worth exploring. Not to mention the other neighborhoods as well.
They all are mostly "suburban," but there are more urban areas in DFW despite a vibrant DT Nashville. Downtown Dallas's deficiencies are made up for by a more vibrant Deep Ellum on the eastern edge and Uptown to the north. It's kind of similar to how Midtown Atlanta makes up for some of their DT deficiencies. Oak Lawn, Lower Greenville, Knox-Henderson, and Bishop Arts are further away, but very walkable once there.
On the flipside for DT Dallas, it has around 10K living in it (about 50K for "greater" Downtown), a daytime work population of 100K, an ongoing hotel boom, and is the transit hub for the region. You can take a free trolley from there to Bishop Arts or up through Uptown. There's also DART rail. Main Street in the very center of DT is consistently vibrant, with increasing vibrancy on the parallel streets of Elm & Commerce. The Arts District/Klyde Warren Park, historic West End/Dealey Plaza, & Farmers Market are also points of interest.
Then there's Downtown Fort Worth. I'm more of a fan of visiting than living there, mostly because Dallas offers more in general. But it's definitely nice for a weekend visit.
Overall, I'd pick Uptown or Deep Ellum over DT Dallas. But they're all very close to each other and have something worth exploring. Not to mention the other neighborhoods as well.
Oh for sure; as big as DFW is, it will definitely have more urban nodes than the rest of these metros. But it would seem that downtown Nashville has a very good case for being the most active and vibrant urban area of all that exists in these four metros.
All of these metros are going to be overwhelmingly suburban and Charlotte shouldn't be the only one to get bashed for that. As far as "blandness" goes, Charlotte is more like Dallas in that the neighborhoods outside of downtown is where the city's soul can be found. It is not a city that should be judged only by downtown.
Well I lived in Raleigh for 24 years and can say this pretty confidently, that if you feel Charlotte is bland and suburban I am pretty sure you will get the same feeling in Raleigh-Durham.
Exactly this---there is literally no way anybody can look at Charlotte and The Triangle side by side and not equate the suburban feel. It's not possible...
I suspect that many people who favor Triangle over Charlotte favor it's location, which is superior in my opinion, too. Closer to beaches over mountains, closer to Northeast. Also, there is a youthful, brainy dynamic in The Triangle that is attractive and resonates more than The Triangle...
Nashville has probably had the largest leap in esteem of any US city this decade. I wouldn't choose it over these cities, but there's a lot to like...
Dallas is definitely the major outlier. My homegirl from Virginia Beach, who moved to Dallas last August, is back in town for a week and I saw her yesterday. She's loving it there. I also have a cousin who has been there for about four years and she loves it. I thought Dallas was cool and I favor it over Atlanta, but probably not these other cities. It's location, weather, and Texas culture would be a drawback for me...
I'd definitely choose one of the Carolina cities, but I'm also at the point where a city has to be exceptional in my view for me to choose it over familiarity as a place to live. I've been to Dallas and Nashville but I'm much more familiar with the Carolina cities, so take my choices with a grain of salt!
Exactly this---there is literally no way anybody can look at Charlotte and The Triangle side by side and not equate the suburban feel. It's not possible...
I suspect that many people who favor Triangle over Charlotte favor it's location, which is superior in my opinion, too. Closer to beaches over mountains, closer to Northeast. Also, there is a youthful, brainy dynamic in The Triangle that is attractive and resonates more than The Triangle...
Nashville has probably had the largest leap in esteem of any US city this decade. I wouldn't choose it over these cities, but there's a lot to like...
Dallas is definitely the major outlier. My homegirl from Virginia Beach, who moved to Dallas last August, is back in town for a week and I saw her yesterday. She's loving it there. I also have a cousin who has been there for about four years and she loves it. I thought Dallas was cool and I favor it over Atlanta, but probably not these other cities. It's location, weather, and Texas culture would be a drawback for me...
I'd definitely choose one of the Carolina cities, but I'm also at the point where a city has to be exceptional in my view for me to choose it over familiarity as a place to live. I've been to Dallas and Nashville but I'm much more familiar with the Carolina cities, so take my choices with a grain of salt!
Appreciate the $.02 from you (and everyone else). Thanks!
I suspect that many people who favor Triangle over Charlotte favor it's location, which is superior in my opinion, too. Closer to beaches over mountains, closer to Northeast.
I guess we're both biased here (and probably due to where we are both originally from) because I think Charlotte has the superior location in the center of the Carolinas and is easily accessible to the best both states have to offer. Charlotte also has easy day-trip access to coastal locations in three states which is pretty cool.
Oh for sure; as big as DFW is, it will definitely have more urban nodes than the rest of these metros. But it would seem that downtown Nashville has a very good case for being the most active and vibrant urban area of all that exists in these four metros.
All of these metros are going to be overwhelmingly suburban and Charlotte shouldn't be the only one to get bashed for that. As far as "blandness" goes, Charlotte is more like Dallas in that the neighborhoods outside of downtown is where the city's soul can be found. It is not a city that should be judged only by downtown.
I agree to a certain extent. DT Nashville is geographically smaller with its main "touristy/historic" area there, which definitely creates more of an intense vibe. There's gaps between the vibrant nodes in DT Dallas. The best comparison to Dallas is Atlanta.
DT Nashville is also geographically smaller with its main "touristy" area there, which definitely creates more of an intense vibe. There's gaps between the vibrant nodes in DT Dallas. The best comparison to Dallas is Atlanta.
Agreed.
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