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Can anyone comment on any of these? They seem similar in many regards.
Looking for a mid-sized place to relocate to (under 75K) near to a lot of things. Hubby is retired, I work remotely so commute is not a concern. But getting around easily in the community for daily errands is.
Most interested in:
Climate - more concerned about Cold/Snow/Ice than Heat and Humidity
Good Health Care - Access to Specialists, Good Hospitals, Drs who take Medicare
Things to Do
Proximity to multiple other Towns/Cities that have Things to Do, International Airport within an Hour
Crime
Acceptance of Transplants (from the north)/Friendly People
Proximity to a Larger City for Entertainment, Specialized Health Care, etc. (within an Hour)
Good Veterinary Care (24Hr Vet within 30 Min)
Community Feel
Good Services (Police, Fire, EMS, Library)
Good Mix of Shops/Restaurants and Access to Big Box Stores (Home Depot/Lowes, Costco, Home Goods, TJ or Whole Foods) within 30 Min
A Place with a good "Core" (Centralized walkable Downtown)
Right now we're more drawn to VA/MD and in particular to Leesburg and Frederick due to the proximity to DC, Annapolis, friends in Bowie, MD and Annandale, VA.
Concerned a bit about crime in Charlottesville and Frederick and COL in Leesburg (excluding housing - utilities, groceries, etc.), but NC taxes are quite a bit higher than VA, so maybe that difference makes up for it.
Would be interested in thoughts on any of these individually regarding our criteria or if people are familiar with multiple places how they compare. Trying to narrow down for a visit once we can travel again.
You’ll find everything you need in any of these areas, I work remotely also, I’m done with the rat race and now I prefer to live rurally and privately. This is my order of preference.
1. Charlottesville it’s beautiful and you can live in the town or nearby and have all your conveniences.
2. Chapel Hill similar to C’Ville and in beautiful North Carolina.
3. Frederick I wouldn’t live in Maryland but if I were to change my mind I’d pick the Frederick area.
4. Leesburg is just not my style, too track home-ish, worker drone buildings and impersonal and populated for me but it’s near pretty areas.
Everyone’s tastes are different and any of these places would probably work for you this is just my .02. Good luck!
Your climate preferences alone suggest Chapel Hill over the other 3. Right now my brother is iced in in Charlottesville and it's raining in Chapel Hill. While there is some Winter weather in Chapel Hill, it's nowhere near the amount in the other 3. IMO, Chapel Hill ticks all of your boxes.
You’ll find everything you need in any of these areas, I work remotely also, I’m done with the rat race and now I prefer to live rurally and privately. This is my order of preference.
1. Charlottesville it’s beautiful and you can live in the town or nearby and have all your conveniences.
2. Chapel Hill similar to C’Ville and in beautiful North Carolina.
3. Frederick I wouldn’t live in Maryland but if I were to change my mind I’d pick the Frederick area.
4. Leesburg is just not my style, too track home-ish, worker drone buildings and impersonal and populated for me but it’s near pretty areas.
Everyone’s tastes are different and any of these places would probably work for you this is just my .02. Good luck!
Crime in Frederick isn't that bad and is mostly isolated to a few areas, COL would be a bigger concern. I think if you can compromise on the weather it would be a good fit.
Your climate preferences alone suggest Chapel Hill over the other 3. Right now my brother is iced in in Charlottesville and it's raining in Chapel Hill. While there is some Winter weather in Chapel Hill, it's nowhere near the amount in the other 3. IMO, Chapel Hill ticks all of your boxes.
Thx. Exactly. We're torn because Franklin St seemed more of a college kid hangout (last time I was there) than a thriving downtown with shops and restaurants, and RDU is not as good as IAD for international flights. We've only been do Raleigh once, and it didn't seem to give off that "city" vibe. It's one thing we really miss - going into the city now and then.
That's why we were kind of leaning toward Frederick. Nice downtown for events, tons of shops, restaurants, near to a good airport. Near to Johns Hopkins if needed for specialty care. Near to DC for our big city fix. Other than that I don't know much about it.
Chapel Hill does have the best weather though as you said, and also great health care/vet care.
So torn.... I'm hoping when we visit one will just click.
Crime in Frederick isn't that bad and is mostly isolated to a few areas, COL would be a bigger concern. I think if you can compromise on the weather it would be a good fit.
Is COL in Frederick that high? I ran a COL Calculator today and it said it was 16.5% less than where we are right now, Charlottesville was 18.9% less, and Chapel Hill 8.2% less (or in Chatham County which we like a lot, 15.7% less), so didn't seem all that bad.
Thx. Exactly. We're torn because Franklin St seemed more of a college kid hangout (last time I was there) than a thriving downtown with shops and restaurants, and RDU is not as good as IAD for international flights. We've only been do Raleigh once, and it didn't seem to give off that "city" vibe. It's one thing we really miss - going into the city now and then.
That's why we were kind of leaning toward Frederick. Nice downtown for events, tons of shops, restaurants, near to a good airport. Near to Johns Hopkins if needed for specialty care. Near to DC for our big city fix. Other than that I don't know much about it.
Chapel Hill does have the best weather though as you said, and also great health care/vet care.
So torn.... I'm hoping when we visit one will just click.
I am a UNC alum turned "townie" who has remained living in CH for the past 10 years since graduating. If it is after 9:00 on a Friday or Saturday; then that characterization is somewhat accurate. However....most of the time Franklin/downtown CH caters to a far more diverse crowd than most people would expect for a college town.
If you are over the age of 25 and hanging out at He's Not on a Friday night.....yeah you're going to feel out of place. But dinner at the Lantern or Elaines followed by evening drinks at Crunkleton or West End?..... Definitely not the "student crowd".
I am a UNC alum turned "townie" who has remained living in CH for the past 10 years since graduating. If it is after 9:00 on a Friday or Saturday; then that characterization is somewhat accurate. However....most of the time Franklin/downtown CH caters to a far more diverse crowd than most people would expect for a college town.
If you are over the age of 25 and hanging out at He's Not on a Friday night.....yeah you're going to feel out of place. But dinner at the Lantern or Elaines followed by evening drinks at Crunkleton or West End?..... Definitely not the "student crowd".
Thanks. I was thinking more in terms of shopping than the restaurants, but again, it's been a long time since I've been on Frankln St. I only remember seeing pizza places and Top of the Hill to eat, but wasn't in town long. Glad there's some decent adult restaurants.
It seemed more t-shirt shops or shops aimed at the college crowd rather than a place an older person who go to, park and wander around to shop. Chapel Hill stores seemed more spead out in strip malls that in the downtown. Thus our leaning toward Frederick or Charlottesville, and yet the weather....
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