Tell me why I should (or shouldn't) move to Durham? (Raleigh: renting, house)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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KatieNK, sounds to me like Durham could be a good match for you. The town is definitely "family friendly but not in a yuppy way".
I chose to move to Durham because I like the atmosphere. It's a beautiful town, but it isn't beautiful in that manicured-within-an-inch-of-its-life kind of way. For that reason, it feels more laid back and relaxed to me. I also love that it's more racially and economically diverse than all of the other towns in the area.
If you're looking for things to do, they are certainly here. Just don't expect everything to land in your lap. Check the local calendars like the one offered in The Indy, the local free press paper for the Triangle (whose offices are in Durham, so you know the coverage for the town is good). On the average summer weekend, you can see a Durham Bulls baseball game, enjoy free yoga at Central Park, see a play at Man Bites Dog Theatre, check out an independent film at the Carolina Theatre or maybe even a concert on the lawn at the American Tobacco Historic District. There are also plenty of annual festivals like the American Dance Festival (which covers nearly 2 whole months this year), the NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and the Festival for the Eno. And we can't forget the food. There are oodles of wonderful locally-owned restaurants here (the foodies of the Triangle are big fans of Durham). There are plenty of activities for the kids, too. WeLoveDurham is an expert in that department. Just search the internet for her name & you'll see.
The price of housing can vary a lot within Durham, but for the most part it's less expensive than what you'll find in other towns in the area. The down side to this is that property tax rates are higher. For a lot of us, the higher tax rates are balanced out by cheaper housing & shorter commutes (depending upon where you're commuting to, of course), as well as simply living in a town you enjoy. Obviously, this will vary from person to person.
One other down side about Durham: the crime rate is higher than in surrounding towns. It's far from the highest in the state, though (many other towns place higher on that list). Like you'll find in every city on the planet, Durham has good sections and bad sections. Most of the crime is relegated to a rather small area of the city. Use some common sense and you'll be just fine because the truth is that most of Durham is quite safe & very family friendly. Actually, I think it's hilarious that people bash Durham for its crime all the time because I've lived in a few other towns in the USA that are hailed as being extremely safe & family friendly, yet the crime rates in those cities are higher than in Durham! It's all about perspective.
People who live in Durham love it & they will defend it strongly. Yet, I find that the people here don't take themselves too seriously. They're easy to laugh & easy to talk to. There's a commeraderie here that I appreciate. Most people are pretty liberal politically-speaking, but not militantly so. Much of the town has a slightly quirky undercurrent to it (see the annual Beaver Queen Pageant) which I really enjoy. I'm very happy to call Durham home. Maybe you will, too.
Durham is controversial because there's a really wide range of neighborhoods, from the subdivision/strip mall section, the fun college-town like downtown area , the "normal houses along a street" area, and the pretty run down neighborhood-with-pawn-shops area. So people might dismiss the whole city based on one neighborhood they didn't like.
Durham is controversial because there's a really wide range of neighborhoods, from the subdivision/strip mall section, the fun college-town like downtown area , the "normal houses along a street" area, and the pretty run down neighborhood-with-pawn-shops area. So people might dismiss the whole city based on one neighborhood they didn't like.
Pretty good assessment. Durham is rather random in a lot of areas.
Love all the great things to do with kids. We never run out of things to do. I am constantly finding out about new things and don't have space on the calendar to do them!
I agree with much of what's been already said. I grew up just outside Philly and have lived in Miami, Florida and Columbus, Ohio. I expected a lame town when I moved to Durham for husband to post-doc at Duke, but it felt like home to us and we love it. We've been here 8 yrs and have no plans to leave.
You will find much of what you said you are looking for here if you come with an open mind. As much bad press as you hear about Durham Schools, I've talked with many parents who praise the schools their children attend. I'll be the parent of a kid in a Durham public school in 2009-10, and I am looking forward to exploring my many choices.
Durham is not what I would define as a college town, even though Duke is here. It doesn't have the feel of a traditional college town, but Duke certainly has a presence and offers a lot to the area in the way of arts, culture, etc. (and it's my place of employment along with many others here).
I recently saw a description of Durham somewhere that most rings true for me and what I like about it: it's a city with a small-town feel. I rarely go to the Children's Science Museum, Whole Foods, or the Farmers Market without running into people I know. There's not much traffic. Commutes are short. There are terrific non-chain restaurants, with more opening up each month it seems. Chapel Hill and Raleigh provide additional "things to do" at just a hop-skip-jump away.
It's very family friendly and the weather is great. I love having a short, mild winter and don't know that I could ever handle living up North again.
Durham certainly isn't for everyone (note the many "Durham bashers" you can find on this Forum) but it should be clear that many of us do love it. Come on down and check it out for yourself!
Paying much higher taxes than surrounding towns. 44.5% higher than Cary, as an example.
Reasons to:
Durham offers a wide variety of living options.
Durham housing prices can be lower than other towns.
Great proximity to RTP.
Southpoint, Southpoint, Southpoint.
Paying much higher taxes than surrounding towns. 44.5% higher than Cary, as an example.
Reasons to:
Durham offers a wide variety of living options.
Durham housing prices can be lower than other towns.
Great proximity to RTP.
Southpoint, Southpoint, Southpoint.
You would like Southpoint... I bet you love Briarcreek as well...
You would like Southpoint... I bet you love Briarcreek as well...
Yes, that is my favorite part of Raleigh. Actually, the only part of Raleigh I like. However I have no issues with anyone that loves other parts of Raleigh. I feel it is okay for someone to love a town even if I don't. That is why we all live in different places.
My DH and I are going on our annual road trip to FL and would like to stop in the Raleigh/Durham area just to check it out on our way home. We'll probably just drive around and maybe eat somewhere. Where is a good spot we should drive around and look?
When I said college-town- what I meant was: more things to do, open-minded people, community-centered, liberal, free-thinkers.
Moving to NC is just an idea for now. We both have to find jobs, probably him first. I was hoping he could get into the NC DOT as he currently works for DELDOT, but that was hard enough to get into.
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Check the local calendars like the one offered in The Indy, the local free press paper for the Triangle (whose offices are in Durham, so you know the coverage for the town is good). On the average summer weekend, you can see a Durham Bulls baseball game, enjoy free yoga at Central Park, see a play at Man Bites Dog Theatre, check out an independent film at the Carolina Theatre or maybe even a concert on the lawn at the American Tobacco Historic District. There are also plenty of annual festivals like the American Dance Festival (which covers nearly 2 whole months this year), the NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and the Festival for the Eno. And we can't forget the food. There are oodles of wonderful locally-owned restaurants here (the foodies of the Triangle are big fans of Durham). There are plenty of activities for the kids, too. WeLoveDurham is an expert in that department. Just search the internet for her name & you'll see.
