[Mr_250]

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

Good god - Deliverance?! I don't think so. And I seek out back roads.

Not just back roads, talking trailer park back roads.

[stevemorse]

Charleston on the other hand once your cross over the bridge basically 5 miles your in the ****s of poverty. Raleigh at least takes 50 miles to get to get into it.

[stevemorse]

Originally Posted by urbanmyth

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Hartford. 26 years ago I moved to Raleigh and have lived in the Raleigh-Durham area for 20 years with 6 years in Charlotte. If you move to the inner city of one of North Carolina's metropolitan areas, overall, things are better -- BUT, be aware, if you move outside the inner city, your experience can go downhill FAST.

People move to North Carolina for three reasons,

1.) the weather
2.) lower taxes
3.) fewer rules

With the exception of #1, the others are myths.

The weather in NC is diverse. From subtropical (palm trees and Gulf Stream waters) along the southeastern NC coast (Wilmington, Calabash, Beaufort) to cold and snowy in the northwestern mountains (Boone, Blowing Rock, Valle Cruces). Even in the Triangle, the weather is diverse. North and west of Raleigh-Durham and the Research Triangle is more like Virginia (it snows every winter); south and east it may never snow. Wilmington is 2 hours southeast of Raleigh; Asheville, in the mountains is 4 hours (close by southern standards).

Regarding taxes, you get what you pay for but even then, your taxes overall are not less and you end up paying more for other things, like travel. Yes, property taxes are lower but you will be paying 6.25% on everything including groceries and services. You will also be paying more to drive.l NOTHING is close, unless you can afford to live in one of the inner city neighborhoods of Raleigh, Durham or Charlotte generally, or along the light rail or streetcar lines in Charlotte specifically. Outside of the inner cities, a commute may be 60 miles (one way) and every trip requires a car. I pay about the same for gas in NC as I do in CT. If you want services, like senior centers, schools, libraries, stay in CT or live in the inner cities of North Carolina (see more about cost of living inner city vs. suburbs, rural NC above).

Fewer rules -- you get what you pay for. If you don't mind having a neighbor with cars parked in the front yard and refridgerators on the porch, move outside the inner cities. If you want someone to fix your potholes fast, don't live outside the inner cities. If you do care if live around people who can read, move outside the inner cities.

Be prepared for more expensive groceries (both in taxes and in cost per item). Unless you live in the inner cities, you will have fewer choices or, you will have to drive to make up the difference.

not true again. I have not had one cop in 3 months hit the radar on me, and my husband drive an APrilia over 120 miles and not one cop has turned around to give him a ticket. It took 2 days to get a hand gun permit that's it. More freedom by far. Taxes are much lower too. The weather I think that is the biggest myth. Its humid as hell at times. Weather is warmer but your sweating your butt off.

[RunD1987]

Huh makes sense. Did hear NC taxes are higher than CT. Heard as high as 5.7% and property tax is high. Agree outside the cities conditions do change being very rural/lower income area's.

Sigh will there ever be a state that caters to the middle class on a whole and not just in cities like in NC. In case of CT feel the whole state caters to the white collar and higher income individuals. Corals the lower income below $50,000 into the major cities of the state.

[urbanmyth]

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

Good god - Deliverance?! I don't think so. And I seek out back roads.

Absolutely. I see just as many Confederate battle flags in Tolland and Windham counties as I do in north-central North Carolina.

[urbanmyth]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Huh makes sense. Did hear NC taxes are higher than CT. Heard as high as 5.7% and property tax is high. Agree outside the cities conditions do change being very rural/lower income area's.

Sigh will there ever be a state that caters to the middle class on a whole and not just in cities like in NC. In case of CT feel the whole state caters to the white collar and higher income individuals. Corals the lower income below $50,000 into the major cities of the state.

You get what you pay for. CT used to be the holy grail for middle-income families -- when corporations paid their workers more and offered pensions, vacations, and raises. Alas, those were the days of unions and corporations weren't deregulated.

The jobs that moved "South" from New England for lower taxes and regulations have also moved on -- No one is willing to work for what corporations can pay workers in Thailand, Vietnam, Guatemala and China and corporations are not going to let Congress pass any laws or taxes to make them stay in the US.

[urbanmyth]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Huh makes sense. Did hear NC taxes are higher than CT. Heard as high as 5.7% and property tax is high. Agree outside the cities conditions do change being very rural/lower income area's.

Sigh will there ever be a state that caters to the middle class on a whole and not just in cities like in NC. In case of CT feel the whole state caters to the white collar and higher income individuals. Corals the lower income below $50,000 into the major cities of the state.

Property taxes are less, even in the cities and wealthier suburbs. But, income tax is about the same and sales taxes are MUCH higher when you consider that it's being collected on groceries and services now. I think that most of the money collected goes to give corporations welfare and subsidies and incentives...to move here from other states. Since the GOP took over NC, we poach jobs -- we don't create them

[urbanmyth]

Originally Posted by stevemorse

Charleston on the other hand once your cross over the bridge basically 5 miles your in the ****s of poverty. Raleigh at least takes 50 miles to get to get into it.

LOL. Yeah, right. Depends on the direction.

[jp03]

Originally Posted by urbanmyth

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Hartford. 26 years ago I moved to Raleigh and have lived in the Raleigh-Durham area for 20 years with 6 years in Charlotte. If you move to the inner city of one of North Carolina's metropolitan areas, overall, things are better -- BUT, be aware, if you move outside the inner city, your experience can go downhill FAST.

People move to North Carolina for three reasons,

1.) the weather
2.) lower taxes
3.) fewer rules

With the exception of #1, the others are myths.

The weather in NC is diverse. From subtropical (palm trees and Gulf Stream waters) along the southeastern NC coast (Wilmington, Calabash, Beaufort) to cold and snowy in the northwestern mountains (Boone, Blowing Rock, Valle Cruces). Even in the Triangle, the weather is diverse. North and west of Raleigh-Durham and the Research Triangle is more like Virginia (it snows every winter); south and east it may never snow. Wilmington is 2 hours southeast of Raleigh; Asheville, in the mountains is 4 hours (close by southern standards). Climatologically, the longest seasons are Fall and Spring -- but most people like 4 seasons and a lot of northerners who moved to Florida are resettling to NC (especially the mountains) -- these people are called "half-backs". In any case, winters are doable; even if everything still closes for a week when you get more than a few inches, it's kind of cool -- things slow down. My biggest complaint about the weather in NC is that is nice most of the time. I still miss having an excuse to stay inside.

.

HMMM......... I see no mention of the blazing 90's the whole state minus the mountains had for about 4 months this summer. EYE OF THE BEHOLDER...rather be here weather-wise.

[stevemorse]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Huh makes sense. Did hear NC taxes are higher than CT. Heard as high as 5.7% and property tax is high. Agree outside the cities conditions do change being very rural/lower income area's.

Sigh will there ever be a state that caters to the middle class on a whole and not just in cities like in NC. In case of CT feel the whole state caters to the white collar and higher income individuals. Corals the lower income below $50,000 into the major cities of the state.

it depends on you income. If your in a low income bracket then probably CT is better because NC has a flat tax of 5.75. So every income pays that. It going down again in 2017 to 5.25 I believe. However if your high income or over lets say 50k maybe NC is better depending on CT tax brackets. However property tax is much lower in NC. But remember its not as nice as a whole.

The bottom line is there are good jobs here in The Triangle. There is a great small business environment and its thriving but as a whole the State has pockets of wealth and not overall wealth. Just look at some of the towns 50 miles east or west of the area. Its pretty poor.