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Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary The Triangle Area
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Old 07-31-2013, 08:08 AM
 
32 posts, read 54,414 times
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This thread has been really helpful. My family and I are trying to decide between a move to Cary/Chapel Hill area or to the Ann Arbor area. We are both originally from the Buffalo area but currently live on Long Island. My husband is an electrical engineer and I am a clinical laboratory scientist. We both have great jobs here on the Island but the cost of living here is insane!! What are the real cost of living differences between these areas? Are the winters worse than Buffalo? Which place do you think is better to raise a family? We like to boat, swim, bike and just started paddle boarding on the sound. Great sport by the way Thanks Everyone!!
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Old 07-31-2013, 09:08 AM
 
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Lived in Ann Arbor for 9 years (although was single and a student at the time so no kids or family) and have been here for 6 years.

Some quick thoughts - Michigan, overall, is struggling although Ann Arbor is pretty buffered because of the university. If either of you can get jobs with U of M, benefits are great, living in the area is pretty great - lots of culture and sports because of U of M's influence. Love the ease of access to lakes in the Michigan area. Great schools and, obviously, access to a great college education for cheap!

Cost of living is definitely going to be cheaper in both places than Long Island but more expensive than you might think since both Ann Arbor and Cary/Chapel Hill are vibrant areas with lots of demand. Ann Arbor and Chapel Hill are probably pretty comparable in the sense that they are both dominated by the universities (UNC is right on par with U of M for now but the politicians are trying to undermine it - at least that's what it feels like). The school systems in both are terrific and the property taxes reflect that. They both feel a bit more "small town" with the town/gown divide. Cary is straight-up suburbia.

Winters in Ann Arbor are less severe than Buffalo since it's not in the snow belt. Probably comparable to Long Island but a fair number of cold, gray days that feel old by early to mid-Feb. Can't beat spring and fall in Michigan though! Winters are a total 180 in North Carolina - nights are typically down into the 30's but often high 40's-50's in the daytime. Very little snow (only a small handful of days). No need to salt roads because there is so little snow but it also means that half an inch of snow can paralyze the region. My first winter here had several 70 degree days with beautiful Carolina blue skies. On the other hand, summers are much more hot and humid than up north and can start in late May/early June and last through September.

Re: sports - can do more outdoors year-round here and boating/paddle-boarding is available but the lakes are man-made down here (at least around the Triangle) and are not the same as the freshwater lakes in Michigan.

Both Ann Arbor and the Triangle are great places to raise a family though - you really can't go wrong either way. I'd go back to Ann Arbor if I hadn't gotten soft dealing with the cold in winter but there are many many things I miss about it (like football Saturdays, fresh apple cider and donuts in the fall, close proximity to great Japanese and Chinese food in Detroit/Novi/Windsor area, etc). I think it's probably more a matter of job availability and what else is a top priority for the family.

Keep asking if you have more questions...there are others around who have lived in both places.
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Old 07-31-2013, 09:29 AM
 
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This thread is a couple of years old and seems to be more about moving from A2 to CH, but it's good that you find it helpful. I've lived in both places and they really are pretty similar. A2 is bigger than CH and probably a little more expensive to live near downtown, but overall there is a bit more to do there. I personally feel that the NC weather more than makes-up for that though. After all, A2 is still in MI and you'll have plenty of miserable gray days and cold winters.

I don't have much experience with Buffalo, but I don't think either A2 or CH is probably much like Buffalo. I can say for sure that Cary isn't at all like any of them.
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