Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hey, I am looking at moving to Chapel Hill for a job at UNC Hospital. I am wondering a few things about the area. I would like suggestions on elementary schools, my kids are in 1st grade this coming school year. Also suggestions on best areas to live with kids. I don't mind noise in the day but I would prefer to not have loud college party noise at night when kids are sleeping. That said, I would like to be close to the hospital if those two things can coexist. I am a single mom but am asking about neighborhoods regardless of cost because I can make it work to be in the area that is best for us.
The other thing I am wondering is how you feel the area compares to Raleigh in terms of the people? I have lived in multiple places, Raleigh being one and while everyone was friendly, i didn't feel I really fit in among them. I had similar feeling living in Fayetteville, NC. That said, I have lived in Charlotte NC, Norfolk VA, Arlington VA and a few cities out west and have not had that experience anywhere else. I realize each individual experience is different too so this is a difficult thing to speak to. I have seen the word snobby used in other posts but that doesn't usually bother me. I feel like in the areas I have lived aside from Raleigh and Fayetteville people were friendly and wanting to make friends with different people, easily approachable, etc. Raleigh it felt like if you weren't already friends of a friend or the exact same personality as everyone in the group then everyone is nice but you can't ever break into the group. I am wondering what the feel is like in Chapel Hill?
I assume you know that Chapel Hill has a separate school system. Some Chapel Hill addresses are in Durham and Orange Counties. The academically better schools are in the CH/Carrboro school system. Real estate is extremely expensive in CH, so could you live with a townhouse?
Hey, I am looking at moving to Chapel Hill for a job at UNC Hospital. I am wondering a few things about the area. I would like suggestions on elementary schools, my kids are in 1st grade this coming school year. Also suggestions on best areas to live with kids. I don't mind noise in the day but I would prefer to not have loud college party noise at night when kids are sleeping. That said, I would like to be close to the hospital if those two things can coexist. I am a single mom but am asking about neighborhoods regardless of cost because I can make it work to be in the area that is best for us.
The other thing I am wondering is how you feel the area compares to Raleigh in terms of the people? I have lived in multiple places, Raleigh being one and while everyone was friendly, i didn't feel I really fit in among them. I had similar feeling living in Fayetteville, NC. That said, I have lived in Charlotte NC, Norfolk VA, Arlington VA and a few cities out west and have not had that experience anywhere else. I realize each individual experience is different too so this is a difficult thing to speak to. I have seen the word snobby used in other posts but that doesn't usually bother me. I feel like in the areas I have lived aside from Raleigh and Fayetteville people were friendly and wanting to make friends with different people, easily approachable, etc. Raleigh it felt like if you weren't already friends of a friend or the exact same personality as everyone in the group then everyone is nice but you can't ever break into the group. I am wondering what the feel is like in Chapel Hill?
In regards to your question about people, These places you mentioned are all cities with diverse people from all around the country and world who have moved there for various reasons. They aren't a monolith, so I think it's mostly a question of finding your tribe. That said, Chapel Hill is a smaller town than any of those places and is kind of an island, so finding your tribe might be harder. CH isn't a monolith either, but the situation with the school system, high taxes, and high housing costs creates a bit of self selection in the people who end up living there. For this reason, a lot, probably most, people who work in CH don't live within the town limits.
Hey, I am looking at moving to Chapel Hill for a job at UNC Hospital. I am wondering a few things about the area. I would like suggestions on elementary schools, my kids are in 1st grade this coming school year. Also suggestions on best areas to live with kids. I don't mind noise in the day but I would prefer to not have loud college party noise at night when kids are sleeping. That said, I would like to be close to the hospital if those two things can coexist. I am a single mom but am asking about neighborhoods regardless of cost because I can make it work to be in the area that is best for us.
The other thing I am wondering is how you feel the area compares to Raleigh in terms of the people? I have lived in multiple places, Raleigh being one and while everyone was friendly, i didn't feel I really fit in among them. I had similar feeling living in Fayetteville, NC. That said, I have lived in Charlotte NC, Norfolk VA, Arlington VA and a few cities out west and have not had that experience anywhere else. I realize each individual experience is different too so this is a difficult thing to speak to. I have seen the word snobby used in other posts but that doesn't usually bother me. I feel like in the areas I have lived aside from Raleigh and Fayetteville people were friendly and wanting to make friends with different people, easily approachable, etc. Raleigh it felt like if you weren't already friends of a friend or the exact same personality as everyone in the group then everyone is nice but you can't ever break into the group. I am wondering what the feel is like in Chapel Hill?
Having actually lived in Chapel Hill and neighboring Carrboro I can provide some real-life experience versus the wild assumptions provided so far, as well as dispel the negatives often attached from residents of neighboring cities.
Pretty much all of Chapel Hill-Carrboro is free of college party noise and would bet your price range would remove you from most of those areas.
For proximity to the UNC Hospital I would recommend Carrboro which takes you away from the commute via US15-501 that can be congested at times.
Carrboro (and Chapel Hill to a slightly lesser degree) historically is very welcoming and open to newcomers, with easy assimilation via varying activities/interests beginning with the schools. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are at the top of the state rankings and have been for decades.
I would suggest renting first if not already the plan in order to assess what neighborhood best suits you. If I can be of any further help, please feel free to send me a direct message!
Having actually lived in Chapel Hill and neighboring Carrboro I can provide some real-life experience versus the wild assumptions provided so far, as well as dispel the negatives often attached from residents of neighboring cities.
Pretty much all of Chapel Hill-Carrboro is free of college party noise and would bet your price range would remove you from most of those areas.
For proximity to the UNC Hospital I would recommend Carrboro which takes you away from the commute via US15-501 that can be congested at times.
Carrboro (and Chapel Hill to a slightly lesser degree) historically is very welcoming and open to newcomers, with easy assimilation via varying activities/interests beginning with the schools. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are at the top of the state rankings and have been for decades.
I would suggest renting first if not already the plan in order to assess what neighborhood best suits you. If I can be of any further help, please feel free to send me a direct message!
I would second all of this...
Having been on both sides as a student and then a "townie" in CH....the rowdy undergrad fratty atmosphere is limited to a few streets off Franklin and a few apartment complexes targeted to college renters.
I used to run the largest after school program in Chapel Hill (and the state actually; at least as of 2018) and oversaw several daycamps serving the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community. The stereotype of the area being exclusively wealthy old-money families is far from accurate. We had kids from a wide variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Yes there were quite a few parents with MD and PHD attached to their names....certainly above what would probably be considered "typical"... but there were also plenty of families (single parent and two parent alike) in service, trade, etc.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
