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North Carolina town descriptions, possible relocation, family with two young children, Cary, Morrisville, North Raleigh, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, sprawling suburbs, subdivisions with strip malls
That is probably why Realtors are not looking at Durham at all for you. Unless you plan on continuing private schools (very expensive down here compared to most places) even the people that dislike honest opinions about Durham (and yes, I've been there more then once) have to admit their schools are overall not the greatest.
As I've said, they do seem to have taken steps to improve them in recent times, but it remains to see how far reaching the changes are.
Hi Desdemona,
I've said in several posts that Durham's schools are not as strong as the neighboring counties, and that the schools have lots of improvement to make. I have no problem with peoples' honest opinions of Durham, or differing ones, and I don't think that individuals are generally racist or biased because they speak out on their opinions. Let's face it, the papers and TV stations will put a bad story about Durham top-of-the-fold but won't carry coverage of the "good news," and it's natural for folks to make assumptions based on that.
I tend to post quite a bit on this forum because it is good for folks to hear from people who choose to live here as well as those who don't. And as I've said... one of the characteristics of this area is that there's lots of different types of places for people to live, and one size doesn't fit all (which is I believe exactly what you're saying.)
To the point in question, I would *disagree* with the conclusion that because the Durham school system is not as good as its neighbors (which I would agree with), there are no good public schools in Durham (which I would disagree with.) You did not make this assertion, but one could easily conclude the latter from the former.
You do have to research schools carefully and make sure the neighborhood you're zoned for has good schools. There are very strong schools in many parts of Durham. Hillandale, Hope Valley, Southwest Elementary both have good reputations; so does the Morehead Montessori Magnet School. I don't have kids, so I don't feel comfortable giving first-hand recommendations, but I would tend to suggest consulting the listservs of the various neighborhoods' email lists (most of which have archives online -- just google search the neighborhood's name.) Unlike Wake County, you are not assured of a minimally "good" education at any school you're assigned to; at the same time, there's not a reassignment issue in Durham, so if you move to a neighborhood its schools are not at all likely to change.
Private schools are an option, and _are_ expensive; they are also very, very good. Durham and Raleigh both have great private school options.
In terms of prostitutes on the corners -- I've not seen this in the parts of downtown I've driven through. I do usually stay on the west side of Roxboro St.; the eastern side leads out of the true downtown and into a rougher area and it could be that this is more an issue in that area. I do work downtown so I'm down there daily, and work out at the downtown Y, etc., but almost always on the western end.
In terms of prostitutes on the corners -- I've not seen this in the parts of downtown I've driven through. I do usually stay on the west side of Roxboro St.; the eastern side leads out of the true downtown and into a rougher area and it could be that this is more an issue in that area. I do work downtown so I'm down there daily, and work out at the downtown Y, etc., but almost always on the western end.
Thank you---I thought this was rather silly too. Perhaps if you wander a little too far east of downtown...but in the downtown core, I've never seen this.
I'd personally describe them all as sprawling suburbs of Raleigh-proper---you've seen one, you've seen them all, to be honest. Subdivisions and stripmalls.
RaleighRob truer words were never spoken. I think all newcomers to this board should keep your statement in mind when pondering where to live. Although some of these areas do have a main street or smaller downtown area, I have never noticed anything that really distinguishes one from the other. I think it all depends on personal taste and where you plan to work.
As a newcomer to the Triangle I strongly suggest that people explore Durham as well as Raleigh. Even if you choose not to live in Durham, it offers a wealth of dining, art, music, and other entertainment and cultural activities that are worth checking out. I live in North Raleigh because I work in Downtown Raleigh and can’t afford to live inside the beltline. If I ever end up working somewhere that would make living in Durham a good choice with regards to the commute, I would definitely consider living there. In the meantime I continue to visit downtown Durham regularly for its great nightlife.
Thank you---I thought this was rather silly too. Perhaps if you wander a little too far east of downtown...but in the downtown core, I've never seen this.
So those women I've seen really aren't prostitutes? **rolls eyes** Sure....I've lived in cities before they aren't hard to spot no matter what city it's in if they are around the area....and this would be in the evenings...not during daylight bankers hours. (Can you imagine....someone from Raleigh actually ventured into Durham at night....they might take away my pass to get back into Wake County for that.)
In my last post I wasn't saying that people can't make up there mind about where to live. You live where you want to live. But you can't honestly say with a straight face that part of the perception problem that Durham has among the people who criticise it doesn't come from long held beliefs about the races. And the fact that b/c of those beliefs, these same folks would rather settle in behind the iron gates so that they don't have to deal with the diversity. To each his own.
I'm just commenting as an outsider who gets this weird vibe being in this metro area. I've visited Raliegh this past weekend and it is very nice and I stay in Durham and it just seems like the races in both Durham and Raleigh just coexist together. I don't see much real interaction between the groups. It's like everyone is just walking past each other.
Wow "he's so hott" what are you the mayor of Durham? Geeeze. You sell the town like you are making a profit from the people who move there. Relax. Some people have preferences of where and whom they want to live by. There is nothing wrong with that.
Check out the gang activity at South Square Mall...
and www.city-data.com
Opinions disregarded, my experience is based on my years as a WCPSS school administrator working at a top ranked HS in Wake Co. on the Durham Co. line.
We were diligent in our quest, along with our Cary Police SRO, to keep the neighboring town's gangs out of our school. One main pipeline of info: myspace.
Well if you are going to check out the crime stats at South Square...there have been two shootings at the movie theatre at Streets of Southpoint too!
And...let us not forget the break in's at Brier Creek! Oh, you say, does it have anything to do with the fact that Brier Creek is a mere 2 seconds from the Durham line???
Ok...I'm being sarcastic and I know how some of you love THAT!
But the sad part is that its all true.
Now...if more and more of you move to Durham...maybe the crime level will go down??? Maybe the schools will improve??? Of course they will but who wants to be the pioneers???
Now...if more and more of you move to Durham...maybe the crime level will go down??? Maybe the schools will improve??? Of course they will but who wants to be the pioneers???
In 2004, the odds of being affected by violent crime (assault, murder, rape, robbery) in Durham were 0.77%, or less than 1 in 100. In that same year, the odds of being affected by violent crime in Wake County were 0.44% (.58% in Raleigh). Statewide, the average is 0.70%. Clayton, the darling of city-data, was a comparatively low 0.30%... but Johnston County as a whole? 0.67%, almost the same as Durham. In the end, no matter what way you slice it, this area as a whole is a pretty safe place to live.
Look, there are parts of Knightdale, or North Raleigh, or Wake Forest that I probably wouldn't want to live in, either. Just like Durham. Just like any city in America.
There's being realistic about where you live, and there's hype. Personally... I find it interesting that some people get so frightened off by crime that they're willing to live next door to the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant in southern Wake County, for which "manned fire watches ... have been required ... since 2002 to compensate for inadequate fire protection measures." Me, I'd take Durham over the nuke plant next door any day. But that's the great thing about America... freedom to choose.
Am I a "pioneer?" Hardly. The folks who founded the Trinity Park Neighborhood Association in the 1970s, when they first moved back here and started renovating homes? You bet. But I've lived in places like Boston where once-urban areas *were* just opening up to pioneers... like Lowell, Chelsea, or Dorchester, Mass. ... and Durham ain't like that.
BTW, South Square Mall was torn down several years back and turned into a power center. Not much gang activity at the Sam's Club, though I hear the Starbucks at the Super Target... sketchy!
Wow "he's so hott" what are you the mayor of Durham? Geeeze. You sell the town like you are making a profit from the people who move there. Relax. Some people have preferences of where and whom they want to live by. There is nothing wrong with that.
No disrespect CJ no disrespect, but I'm not the mayor of Durham.
Last edited by he's so hott; 01-15-2007 at 06:08 PM..
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