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At the end of the day, it seems like both metro areas are very similar, with subtle differences. I have friends in both areas, but I'm closer with my friends in Charlotte and it just seems better for job opportunities. But other than that, the metro areas both seem to be about the same in general.
At the end of the day, it seems like both metro areas are very similar, with subtle differences. I have friends in both areas, but I'm closer with my friends in Charlotte and it just seems better for job opportunities. But other than that, the metro areas both seem to be about the same in general.
Yes. Both metros are generally the same as far as culture. But you're not goin to find any town in Metrolina toy hat similar to those in the triangle. The triangle has unique towns; Metrolina really doesn't.
If Charlotte and the Triangle had a baby; it'd be the triad IMO
However, I'd disagree with your statement that Charlotte seems like a more logical place for a person from the north east to relocate to. Having lived for many years in several different parts of New England (both CT & MA) and traveled to others numerous times, I find the Triangle (all of it) a very comfortable place for New Englanders to move to. In my 12+ years in the Triangle, I've met soo many people that are transplants from New England, and the Northeast in general that absolutely love it here.
I don't doubt at all what you're saying, but have you ever lived in Charlotte? You'll find quite a few New England and Northeastern transplants here as well. The only real difference in Charlotte is that many of those transplants have some decent urban real estate to choose from in the central areas of Charlotte. If you've ever driven through some of Charlotte's downtown area neighborhoods, you'd see tons of Maryland, DC, NY, NJ, NH, Vermont, etc license plates. You'd see the same in suburban areas of Charlotte such as Steele Creek, Lake Norman, and Lake Wylie.
As for the OP's comments about Charlotte feeling more cosmopolitan, that probably has to do with the city's ethnic diversity, the downtown area, and/or suburban lake front communities. Though the OP isn't interested in downtown real estate, the following videos show why a casual visitor might consider Charlotte to be more "cosmopolitan" than any parts of the Triangle.
^^^Though most of Charlotte itself is rather low density sprawl; the downtown area neighborhoods has almost 15k residents (and 70k workers plus 70k daily visitors) packed into an 1.8 sq/mile area. Such people-density during business hours does create a bit of a cosmopolitan feel (eventhough it is just one area of town). However, the Southpark and Ballantyne areas of town have a similar feel on a much smaller scale. Also, the OP did say he is into outdoor activities. Here are a few such activities that he might enjoy in Charlotte.
^^^Nothing against the Triangle because thousands of people move there each year and LOVE IT!!! I'm just saying that it's not hard to see why someone (from the Northeast) would visit both areas and choose the city that's 2.5 hours farther south. Things such as "vibe" and "feel" are totally subjective, but amenities (such as the ones above) are real, tangible, and all folks can/will notice them.
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 01-24-2013 at 03:16 PM..
Charlotte : 45% white, 35% black, 13% Hispanic, 5% Asian
Raleigh: 58% White, 29% black, 11% Latino, 4.3% Asian
Wikipedia
I'm on my iPhone so I don't have the pacience to break down the white numbers but I'm sure Charlotte would also have more white diversity.
We are not more southern, we are not less progressive, we are not less hip; we're just bigger. It's not fair to compare a town like Chapel Hill and compare it to a much larger city. We have more amenities than Raleigh, our public transportation is more reliable (you don't have to drive from one town to the Next to do what you want). We have a lot more attractions, more urban way of life as opposed to a giant suburb.
You would never hear any Charlottean raving about Rock Hill, Gastonia, or any other larger towns excluding The Charlotte side of Concord where Charlotte motor speedway is located...
Raleigh the city or even the entire Triangle is not more progressive, nor more liberal nor more hip than Charlotte. And I highly doubt Raleigh is anymore gay friendly than Charlotte at all... And the only measurable data is diversity in which case Charlotte is more diverse and I haven't seen the data but I bet we have more European diversity among whites. Maybe not but I'd still wager
Chapel hill is 69.5% white by the way. And I doubt they have Germans, brits, and the French roaming the streets
It was nothing more than a gut feel. I don't think of the Triangle as really all that southern in anything other than having some barbeque spots and a little more relaxed, friendly feel. I grew up in Altanta and that felt quite a bit more southern to me.
Over years of living here, it is just subtle things like being the home of NASCAR that lead me to think it's got a little more of a southern feel. It's not the say that folks in Charlotte are all that different than Raleigh on social values. I freely admit that I'm not an expert on Charlotte.
Though I know that the title of this thread is Charlotte vs. Raleigh, it's not really the right title as you mention. It really needs to be Charlotte vs. the Triangle. I don't doubt Raleigh is less diverse than Charlotte, but take a look at Durham is every bit as diverse as Charlotte:
45.50% White, 43.81% Black, 8.56 Hispanic, 3.64% Asian, 4.75% Other
You're right, the different sections of the Triangle are indeed different and have different characteristics. That's one of the strengths of the area, and something that feels in some small way a bit New England.
Charlotte's DT is bigger, there is no denying that. I'm sure if you counted them up, there are technically more amenities in the Charlotte area. However, I think it's at the point of irrelevance. So you've got a Ikea, but really, so what? Both areas have great sports, theater, music, museums, universities, shopping, restaurants, housing, etc... You mention mass transit is more reliable, but it really isn't that important a difference. Both cities require you to own a car. It's very easy to get around in the Triangle, with fantastic roadways, parking, etc... There's little that light rail gets you here in the Triangle. I'm going to leave work in a few minutes and in rush hour drive from one end of the Triangle to another, and rush hour will add maybe 5-10 minutes.
Please suggest one of these two metropolitan areas for me. I have visited both for a few days each, but it's hard to compare still. A little about myself: I am a 28 year old gay male from Connecticut. I am nonreligious and not into country music and stuff like that. I am moderate with politics, but slightly leaning left. I have a master's degree in accounting with 5 yrs of experience in corporate tax accounting (no CPA work).
I have traveled ALL over the country and Charlotte and Raleigh both interest me for many reasons. I like the climate of NC, because it's pretty much 4 seasons, with winter being shorter than summer. I like the topography, because I love hiking and the outdoors. And of course, the cost of living is very appealing to me. Having a significant gay population is important to me, but it doesn't have to be large. I do not want to live in a place that is too family oriented, either. It would be nice to see other singles in the area. Now, I am not into the bar/club scene much at all, so I don't care about nightlife. I'm more introverted in general, but like to have a small circle of friends. I would prefer to live in a small house than an apartment building in the city. I don't like places that feel "redneck" or overly southern. But I am willing to embrace some southern culture, as long as people don't bother me about my sexual orientation or atheism. I'm also 100% Italian, so it would be nice to see some Italians here and there, but not a must.
Also, be aware that I have no job at the moment and will be moving with no job. I have $23,000 cash in the bank plus $14,000 in stocks that could be sold if necessary. My resume is excellent and I'm always being contacted by recruiters on LinkedIn. So, I should be able to live for several months with no income, as long as I can find a temporary sublet housing solution. Job market is important, and I am willing to make a career change, too.
So, which metropolitan area do you think is more suitable for me?
You have just marked both metros off your list.
Before I decided on Charlotte when relocating from Florida, I also highly considered Raleigh.
Carowinds was the deal breaker for me, honestly. There's nothing in or near Raleigh that can compare to it.
Plus, Charlotte, IMO is more upscale than Raleigh and that's what I was more comfortable and use to in Florida.
Both metros are great in their own respective rights, but I do think Charlotte would come out on top.
I don't doubt at all what you're saying, but have you ever lived in Charlotte? You'll find quite a few New England and Northeastern transplants here as well. The only real difference in Charlotte is that many of those transplants have some decent urban real estate to choose from in the central areas of Charlotte. If you've ever driven through some of Charlotte's downtown area neighborhoods, you'd see tons of Maryland, DC, NY, NJ, NH, Vermont, etc license plates. You'd see the same in suburban areas of Charlotte such as Steele Creek, Lake Norman, and Lake Wylie.
As for the OP's comments about Charlotte feeling more cosmopolitan, that probably has to do with the city's ethnic diversity, the downtown area, and/or suburban lake front communities. Though the OP isn't interested in downtown real estate, the following videos show why a casual visitor might consider Charlotte to be more "cosmopolitan" than any parts of the Triangle.
^^^Though most of Charlotte itself is rather low density sprawl; the downtown area neighborhoods has almost 15k residents (and 70k workers plus 70k daily visitors) packed into an 1.8 sq/mile area. Such people-density during business hours does create a bit of a cosmopolitan feel (eventhough it is just one area of town). However, the Southpark and Ballantyne areas of town have a similar feel on a much smaller scale. Also, the OP did say he is into outdoor activities. Here are a few such activities that he might enjoy in Charlotte.
^^^Nothing against the Triangle because thousands of people move there each year and LOVE IT!!! I'm just saying that it's not hard to see why someone (from the Northeast) would visit both areas and choose the city that's 2.5 hours farther south. Things such as "vibe" and "feel" are totally subjective, but amenities (such as the ones above) are real, tangible, and all folks can/will notice them.
I think we're about on the same page. I freely admit that I've not lived in Charlotte. But, it felt like the Triangle was getting a bit of a misrepresentation. Having lived and spent significant time in cities up and down the east coast though not Charlotte), the Triangle is very comfortable for folks from the Northeast. I don't mean to knock Charlotte, and if I did I'm sorry, but I just can't fathom it's significantly more New England than the Triangle.
There is the long running saying around the Triangle that Cary is the "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees."
I've also always figured that the population differences between the two areas are not so significant that either will feel all that different. I'm happy to conceed that there are areas in Charlotte's DT that are more dense and probably feel more cosmopolitan. I'm sure you're spot on there. I don't doubt that if you want a small to mid sized city with some true city feel, Charlotte's a fine choice.
Chapel hill is 69.5% white by the way. And I doubt they have Germans, brits, and the French roaming the streets
You know that's really untrue. I'm privileged to count quite a few Brits, and Germans among my friends in Chapel Hill and I've crossed paths with a French person or two who do indeed roam the streets in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. We also have a large Hispanic population and a significant Burmese population and Asian population. My kid goes to school with a wide variety of kids.
As far as diversity, even if you don't want to look at the Triangle as a whole, but just look at the major Wake Co towns, you can see that places like Cary and Morrisville have a larger overall Asian population (including Indian) than Charlotte and a much higher percentage of Asians. The percentage of people of Hispanic origin are pretty similar.
Since Nep is Italian and an atheist he might like to know that according to city-data's info:
Charlotte has
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 47.97%
Ancestries: German (10.1%), English (8.5%), Irish (7.9%), United States (6.8%), Scotch-Irish (3.9%), Italian (3.3%)
vs
Raleigh's
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 43.82%
Ancestries: English (12.0%), German (10.0%), Irish (8.4%), United States (6.3%), Italian (3.6%), Scotch-Irish (3.4%).
So, ever so slightly more Italians and non-religious folks in Raleigh. No disputing that Charlotte has taller buildings and is closer to the mountains, though. Of course, Raleigh is closer to the beach. I like it in Chapel Hill where I'm about equidistant from both!
I'm happy to conceed that there are areas in Charlotte's DT that are more dense and probably feel more cosmopolitan. I'm sure you're spot on there. I don't doubt that if you want a small to mid sized city with some true city feel, Charlotte's a fine choice.
My job has taken me to the Triangle quite often, so I am a little more familiar with both than most. The Triangle is a fine place to live; I too could certainly live there and enjoy it. I just feel as though some folks on this thread are talking too much about a city (Charlotte) that they really know little about. Many of the opinions about Charlotte that I've read on this thread seems a bit dated. Personally, I think anyone who has visited both would clearly see that both areas are transplant-villes. IMO, that means BOTH are doing a fine job of attracting newcomers which is a good thing for the entire state.
One more thing. It's not wise to simply look at population stats and assume that two areas of similar sizes are similar. A perfect example of this is Raleigh/Durham, Charlotte, and New Orleans. Though Charlotte and the Triangle are the two largest, New Orleans is still BY FAR the largest looking and feeling city of the 3. Even pre-Katrina New Orleans was smaller than present-day Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham.
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 01-24-2013 at 04:14 PM..
You know that's really untrue. I'm privileged to count quite a few Brits, and Germans among my friends in Chapel Hill and I've crossed paths with a French person or two who do indeed roam the streets in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. We also have a large Hispanic population and a significant Burmese population. My kid goes to school with a wide variety of kids.
As far as diversity, even if you don't want to look at the Triangle as a whole, but just look at the major Wake Co towns, you can see that places like Cary and Morrisville have a larger overall Asian population (including Indian) than Charlotte and a much higher percentage of Asians. The percentage of people of Hispanic origin are pretty similar.
Since Nep is Italian and an atheist he might like to know that according to city-data's info:
Charlotte has
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 47.97%
Ancestries: German (10.1%), English (8.5%), Irish (7.9%), United States (6.8%), Scotch-Irish (3.9%), Italian (3.3%)
vs
Raleigh's
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 43.82%
Ancestries: English (12.0%), German (10.0%), Irish (8.4%), United States (6.3%), Italian (3.6%), Scotch-Irish (3.4%).
So, ever so slightly more Italians and non-religious folks in Raleigh.
Being Spanish and still having family living in Spain & France... And working in the wealthier part of Charlotte where I deal with tons of Indians, Italians, Russians, eastern Europeans and Brazilians that personal people you know don't count for much.
I don't know what ancestries are according to your data but I'd like to see the data FOR Brits, Greeks, Germans etc. No one is going to be able to tell the difference between Raleigh and Charlotte as far as diversity and religion goes.
As far as the religion figures in your poll... It states "affiliated with a congregation"... We have fairly liberal churches here and the Presbyterian hospital is very supportive of the community (streetcar, bike sharing, etc.)
I'm a firm believer in figures lie and liars figure. Not saying your lieing. Regardless... Raleigh is no more progressive, hip nor liberal than Charlotte. It's not like it's Seattle...
And I don't like places that are pretentious or have an attitude.
Then Raleigh's your place. Charlotte as a whole has a very inflated opinion of itself.
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I just feel as though some folks on this thread are talking too much about a city (Charlotte) that they really know little about. Many of the opinions about Charlotte that I've read on this thread seems a bit dated. Personally, I think anyone who has visited both would clearly see that both areas are transplant-villes. IMO, that means BOTH are doing a fine job of attracting newcomers which is a good thing for the entire state.
