Possible move to NC...Charlotte vs Research Triangle Area (Raleigh: chapel, homes) - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary - North Carolina -The Triangle Area - City-Data Forum

sleeptodream247 · 06-24-2011, 10:04 PM

This is question would be more for people who have been to/lived in both Charlotte and Durham/Chapel Hill/Raleigh areas......I really like and would want to move to NC, if I find employment. My question is.....which do you prefer? Charlotte or Durham/Chapel Hill/Raleigh? I was concentrating on Chapel Hill due to the proximity of great colleges and lots of jobs in the medical field but it seems like the area might be too suburban?

Also, I like to travel (out of the country) and it seems that most flights go through Charlotte versus Raleigh, and seeing that Charlotte is pretty far from Raleigh, I would always have to have a connecting flight. Im spoiled that where I currently live (south FL), I have three international airports within an hr from where I live. My worry is that Charlotte is such a large city that it may be harder for me to acclimate to

. I have been to NC for vacation twice (western side of the state---was thinking it would be too "country" for me but loved the scenery!!!) and recently went to Chapel Hill for a very brief visit. I have flown through Charlotte (great airport) but have never been around the city. Any info would be appreciated!

Oh, and for those who say, you have to come in person to see it....yes I agree but Im in a situation where Im looking for jobs and pretty much will go where the jobs are so it would be hard to go check out every place, in person.

lovebrentwood · 06-25-2011, 05:54 AM

Sounds like Charlotte is better for you for the reasons mentioned.

The city that offers you a decent job is the right choice.

frankpc · 06-25-2011, 09:44 AM

Be a bit careful about singing the praises of Charlotte's airport. Since its "captive" to USAir fares tend to be higher on average. I have family there and they often visit with us in Raleigh when traveling out of RDU on vacation.
I also tend to believe that everyday traffic in Charlotte is much worse than the Triangle and the medical jobs field is stronger here too.
I can't answer what "too" suburban is ... but both places tend to have pretty vast suburbs with considerably smaller downtown/uptown areas.

Frank

sleeptodream247 · 06-25-2011, 02:38 PM

I agree with you frankpc regarding the medical jobs field aspect....from my job search, I have been finding more opportunities in the Triangle versus Charlotte.

I like the suburban lifestyle but sometimes the "cookie cutter" homes can be a bit much when it is so prevalent.

I do like that I saw so many young people in Chapel Hill (in my low 30s) compared to FL where you usually see a higher concentration of senior citizens.

I guess I need to decide if having to fly to Charlotte to then fly to my final destination is going to be a hassle.....I imagine driving to Charlotte to catch a flight would be more of a hassle than the additional flight. I would probably make one big trip a year so I guess it would be too much to deal with.

frankpc · 06-25-2011, 03:09 PM

You only fly to Charlotte if you fly USAir. Delta will take you to Atlanta :-)
American does have a non-stop to London each evening. Certainly not as many non-stops as Charlotte, but RDU does pretty well.

I think you'll find cookie cutter neighborhoods in both places. You'll find non cookie cutter places too.

Good luck in your search.

Frank

sleeptodream247 · 06-25-2011, 03:17 PM

Sounds like youre an RDU fan

Now that I think about it....the last few times Ive flown have been with USAir so that might explain the connection through Charlotte. As an example, I flew directly to London from Miami (although later I found out I could have done the same from Ft Lauderdale) and also directly to Greece from Ft Lauderdale. Im hoping my next destination will be Spain so just thinking about future travels and how easily I will be able to get there from RDU. I dont mind a connection but multiple connections become cumbersome. I guess thats a small price to pay if I love where I live.....the drive from RDU to Chapel Hill was very easy so thats a major plus!

rnc2mbfl · 06-26-2011, 12:05 AM

I live in both South Florida and Raleigh and fly through both MIA and RDU all the time. Because RDU isn't dominated by a single carrier, it's typically cheaper. This is also due to the presence of Southwest.
The Triangle and Charlotte have very different types of job markets. Charlotte is typically more banking while the Triangle is typically high tech/bio-tech/medical. Of course, these are very gross generalizations and different jobs are available in either metro. That's just a broad stroke painting of both employment oppty's. For now, the unemployment rate in the Triangle is a few % points lower than Charlotte. PM me if you have any questions.