Carrboro vs. Chapel Hill Utility Costs (apartments, co-op, townhouse)

[rdaniels]

We are considering moving to the UNC area this summer and have visited twice. We now have to put a deposit down on a wait list for a apartment but unfortunately the apartment rating websites are as confusing as they are helpful.
I cannot seem to get a straight answer to a few questions so I hope you all can help me.
1. I read that Carrboro is under Piedmont Co-op and the utilities can cost as much as $300.00 per month. While the rents are loweri n Carrboro if the utilities are that high it may not be worth it. But...I have no idea what the utilities cost per month in a apartment under Duke energy in Chapel Hill.
2. I called a complex yesterday in Carrboro and they said they were under Duke energy, so are there specific boundaries for the utility companies?
3. We are very quiet people, my son would be attending grad school and I would be working on my bachelors so is there any place you would suggest we should avoid? We were told by the grad students on our visit to avoid apartments on 54, but do you know which ones to stay away from? We really don't want to be at a "party" community.
4. We are in Ohio and we have insects in the spring and fall that we have an exterminator for, which controls them, specifically spiders. According to what gets posted out in cyberspace many of these apartment communities are like the movie "Arachnophobia" True of false??
5. We are looking at Rock Creek, Timber Hollow and Glen Lennox right now, but I would really love to have a town house, we own a town home now, so apartment living doesn't sound like fun again. (any input on the above complexes would be appreciated)
I would really love some candid advice. This will be a big move for the both of us and I really don't want to be in a terrible place to start out this new chapter of our lives. If you have a fantastic place to recommend, even if I haven't listed it please let me know, I would rather pay a little more than be miserable.
Thank you!

[alice_61]

Water for both towns is from the same source, OWASA. We're in Chapel Hill and have Duke Energy for electricty. Their rates are pretty good: ~$0.08/kWh. I don't think spiders are much of an issue here.

[tbill]

My daughter lives in Carrboro and the electric co. is Piedmont coop. Her bills are:
1/07 $134.00, 2/07 $82.38, 3/07 $62.96, 4/07 ?, 5/07 121.78, 6/07 ?, 7/07 ?,
8/07 ?, 9/07 $122.01, 10/07 $100.66, Other months must have been paid electronically. She keeps her place warmer than I would + leaves lots of light on when she is home.
There is a townhouse complex in Carrboro known as Rosewalk @ University Lake. Go to Moderator cut: link removed or information. We looked at them a year ago and they were just beginning to construct the units. Hope this helps.

[rdaniels]

Thank you both very much, currently we have 1300 square feet and pay 138.00 level billing each month, winter or summer, so those prices are very reasonable. That takes some of the fear out of either area. And I am very happy to hear about our eight-legged friends.