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Hi All
New here and looking to move to NC in the next few years. Family is building on Lake James, unaffordable for us, but my husband would like to be within an hour of Lake James. I see by the map the Lake James area is huge. Not sure exactly where my husband's family is building. I, personally, would prefer the coast having grown up in coastal CT and currently living inland and not loving it.
By the time we move our children will most likely be on their own, hopefully however, moving south with us (my wish). I work in education, specifically with autistic elementary aged children and my husband is currently unable to work due to ongoing medical condition. That being said we need to be within an hour of a major medical center (specifically Transplant center).
I'm looking for a very affordable, safe area, close to shopping (15 mins max) and close to schools and major medical area and of course, near the Lake James area.
I'm researching the internet but so many conflicting articles. Now I found this site and hoping I can get some helpful input. TIA. I have lived in CT my entire life whereas my husband has moved quite a bit so this is a scary move for me but I'd love to leave the long, cold winters behind. I know NC has winters but not nearly as bad as ours. Again, TIA.
That being said we need to be within an hour of a major medical center (specifically Transplant center).
I'm looking for a very affordable, safe area, close to shopping (15 mins max) and close to schools and major medical area and of course, near the Lake James area.
Can you help us out? North Carolina is a much larger state than Connecticut. Is it possible to consider helicopter transportation to a transplant center? I don't think you can accomplish all of the goals on the wish list unless you know of a transplant center closer to Lake James.
I know Duke is about the best hospital in the state, but are they a "transplant center"? I understand that Vidant in Greenville does transplants. The distance from Duke (Durham) to Lake James is 3 hours, and from Greenville to Lake James is 4.5 hours.
There is also a transplant center in Charlotte, and you could be half-way to Lake James in Lincolnton or Shelby. However I don't know either of those towns, but perhaps you could research them on the Western, NC or Charlotte sub-forums.
If getting to Duke were your only consideration, I would suggest a retirement-friendly place in the Triangle like Carolina Arbors or Fearrington near Chapel Hill. If you want to be closer to the coast, then draw a 45 mile circle around Vidant in Greenville.
Last edited by goldenage1; 02-01-2014 at 09:23 AM..
Check county and city crime reports in your projected area; particular meth labs busts. McDowell Co rates are worse than neighboring counties according to a recent news paper article.
Oh, and check the local digital newspapers. You can pick up a lot of information and a feel for what is going on in the community.
There is also a transplant center in Charlotte, and you could be half-way to Lake James in Lincolnton or Shelby. However I don't know either of those towns, but perhaps you could research them on the Western, NC or Charlotte sub-forums.
I am not recommending these towns as I don't know them. Please do some reading in the forum. There are suggestions that they are very small-town and parochial.
My own preference (if needing medical care and wanting to be near Lake James) would be to stay closer to the Charlotte suburbs like Mooresville and Matthews. Those areas are more comfortable for northern transplants as well as having more amenities like decent shopping. You would just have to drive further to visit the relatives at the lake.
Thank you for all the input and suggestions. NC was not my original choice for retirement but there seems to be so much offered depending where you look on the internet. Which is why when I found this site I took advantage and asked some questions. Some of the internet sites would contradict each other. I also discovered I should be checking out population size never realizing the small town we live in here (a city actually due to the amenities but small town where EVERYone knows everyone or at least knows of each other). I was shocked when I realized our population was 35,000+. WOW! And I was thinking I'd be happy in towns in NC of 4,000-6,000!!!
I don't think helicopter would work as I'm the primary income provider, but it was a good question. It's just so difficult to gage distances from maps and try to gage the amenities and such. I like the idea of checking out the local newspapers.
As far as drugs and such...so sad, but not isolated to NC. I come from a bigger city in CT and moved to current town 15 yrs ago to get away from the city troubles. Our 'city' is truly small town with a ton of amenities, like I said, everyone knows everyone here. But recently we've lost so many of our young people due to the nasty new version of heroin coming up to CT and being cut and recut. We have many, many unsupervised halfway houses for drugs and alcohol recovery (did not know this prior to moving here, it's kept on the very down low!!!). So while we're hoping to not have drug problems and crime in our face, we're not thinking we can avoid it anywhere.
Again, thank you all so much for the very helpful input! Have a great day!
I also discovered I should be checking out population size never realizing the small town we live in here (a city actually due to the amenities but small town where EVERYone knows everyone or at least knows of each other). I was shocked when I realized our population was 35,000+. WOW! And I was thinking I'd be happy in towns in NC of 4,000-6,000!!!
In a North Carolina town of 5000, you typically will not get as much sophistication or wealth as you would in Connecticut. (I spent many years in CT and still have family there.) The shopping would be basic, and probably will have a Dollar store and a hardware store, but you will have 6 Baptist churches of different flavors.
You might look at Davidson, which has a small, walkable downtown and looks somewhat like New England. It has a college, is near a lake and is about 25 miles to downtown Charlotte. It has about 11,000 and a website is here: http://www.exploredavidsonnc.com/new-residents/
As far as drugs and such...so sad, but not isolated to NC. I come from a bigger city in CT and moved to current town 15 yrs ago to get away from the city troubles. Our 'city' is truly small town with a ton of amenities, like I said, everyone knows everyone here. But recently we've lost so many of our young people due to the nasty new version of heroin coming up to CT and being cut and recut. We have many, many unsupervised halfway houses for drugs and alcohol recovery (did not know this prior to moving here, it's kept on the very down low!!!). So while we're hoping to not have drug problems and crime in our face, we're not thinking we can avoid it anywhere.
Again, thank you all so much for the very helpful input! Have a great day!
What I didn't want to have to say is to explain that it isn't the drug use or those who become addicted.
It is the people who cook this stuff are not good neighbors and don't want to have neighbors.
I would do a lot of research and on the ground study before I left an area I knew to one I didn't. Put my spidey senses to work. Things aren't the way they used to be.
In a North Carolina town of 5000, you typically will not get as much sophistication or wealth as you would in Connecticut. (I spent many years in CT and still have family there.) The shopping would be basic, and probably will have a Dollar store and a hardware store, but you will have 6 Baptist churches of different flavors.
You might look at Davidson, which has a small, walkable downtown and looks somewhat like New England. It has a college, is near a lake and is about 25 miles to downtown Charlotte. It has about 11,000 and a website is here: Welcome to Davidson | Explore Davidson, NC
Davidson is an excellent suggestion. It has not just "a college" but Davidson College has been one of the most highly regarded private colleges in the Southeast, if not the country, for its academics for many, many years.
I hope this links work; it's from Our State Magazine:
Davidson is a great suggestion. My aunt is still there. Some friends went to school there. Beautiful town.
Check it out. Prices might be a concern since you'd mentioned building on Lake James as unaffordable.
I'd hoped to maybe find a transplant center in Asheville, Morganton or Hickory but that was a true long shot.
Others might not agree but Duke's the best and Baptist is solid.
5 in the state:
Carolinas Medical Center (Charlotte)
Duke University Medical Center (Durham)
UNC Health Care (Chapel Hill)
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (Winston-Salem)
Vidant Health (Greenville)
Whatever you decide, I wouldn't worry too much about 'mountain meth'.
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(my wish). I work in education, specifically with autistic elementary aged children and my husband is currently unable to work due to ongoing medical condition. That being said we need to be within an hour of a major medical center (specifically Transplant center). 
