Durham, North Carolina vs. Eugene, Oregon for a programmer right out of college? (living, cost)
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Have never lived in either city, got job offers in both — Eugene offer was 10k higher than Durham FWIW. Never been to either city, would love to get an opinion.
Eugene is massively more liberal if you're into that. Kind of a '90s eco-friendly hippie vibe that's uncommon these days. Biking is huge there. More relaxed, less pretentious than Portland. I like the vibe there, FWIW.
Eugene's crime is probably worse, although it's still fairly safe. Heard anecdotes about locked bikes being stolen in broad daylight, not sure how common that is. There are a handful of homeless people downtown if that bothers you, although I've never seen them harassing anyone.
No idea about cost. In general the PNW is pricier than the South. If you're a programmer you should be able to afford both places just fine.
No idea about nightlife. I would guess Durham is a bit better just because the PNW tends to get to bed a little earlier, but they're both college towns. I've walked around downtown Eugene at midnight and still found places to get food, which would be impossible in most parts of Portland or Seattle. The Barn Light is a cool cafe there open til 1 am.
Although you have offers in both places, the Research Triangle is a much bigger tech market than Portland, let alone Eugene - which may be a factor if you happen to fall victim to the wave of corporate downsizing and need a new job where you're at.
Eugene AFAIK is a much denser, more walkable city, if that's a thing you like.
Both are nice college towns. Durham is a part of a larger metro area. It can be a little rough around the edges but is certainly getting better and has come a long way. Eugene is a big small town in the pacific northwest with great outdoor potential. Durham might offer more career wise because it's a substantially larger metro area that's growing faster, but Eugene offers more if nature and being in a walkable town are important to you. I like both just in different ways.
Tough call because Eugene is probably the better/more fun place to live, but longer-term the research triangle will be better for your career. Congrats, this is a good problem to have!
Easy choice. Go with Durham. It is a larger area with more things to do and more tech oriented individuals. Durham is also more diverse and in a much better location.
Tough call, given your criteria it's Chapel Hill. I'd prefer Eugene
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