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.
We are going to be moving to the area, hopefully sooner rather than later... but most definitely within this coming year. We have been there a few times and we are familiar with the general area.. but more so as "tourists" or "guests" and didn't really look with a discriminating eye at the residential areas. We will be looking to rent for probably the first year so that we can really learn the area and decide where we want to buy and what schools we want our son to attend. We are open to both Carrboro and Chapel Hill. I know both towns are safe overall, but every place has a not-so-safe or desirable area. We are pretty down to earth folks and not needing something posh.. just safe. So, as a brand newcomer to the area, are there any areas we should be skeptical of renting or staying?
I will be doing a lot of research on-line for apt/ houses to rent before we go there to secure housing and we are just looking to rule out any specific areas quickly, if need be, as we are scouting places.
Thanks!
(p.s. sorry for the double post... but I realized I didn't post it in the correct forum, originally, and I couldn't find a way to move it so I re-posted)
In Carrboro, I would avoid anything along Jones Ferry Road, especially the section between Main Street and the NC 54 overpass. West of the overpass is fine. I would also avoid some of the houses along S. Greensboro St. leading down to NC 54. That road is dangerous, and I don't think I'd want to live on it. Finally, anything along N. Greensboro between the Harris Teeter and Estes Drive will be kind of run down and filled with college students, if that's an issue for you.
Can't say much about Chapel Hill other than some of the areas north of Rosemary are probably best left avoided.
On the whole, though, both towns are a wonderful place to live, with far, far more good areas than bad.
There's no particular neighbor that you should watch out for. But like the previous poster said, some areas are high traffic, which might be a problem.
There's no particular neighbor that you should watch out for. But like the previous poster said, some areas are high traffic, which might be a problem.
The apartments along Jones Ferry in Carrboro are known to have problems with break-ins and robbery. That's the only area in both towns I would advise against living in purely for crime considerations.
Traffic is an issue in more places than you would think, though.
Basically anywhere within a stone's throw of that BP gas station can be a problem I think. I've never heard of violent crime in Carrboro, save for the deranged 65-year old who shot his son-in-law in the Carrboro Plaza parking lot last winter, but petty crime is an issue in places.
From our old duplex on West Stinson St in Chapel Hill (1998-2000), we would hear occassional gunfire from the nearby public housing complex(es) on Pritchard Ave. Someone attempted to break into our duplex one weekend while we were out of town. Fortunately, our neighbor and his dog scared the theif(ves) away. Also, when we moved into the duplex, we had to replace a side track in one of the windows. It may have been ruined during a previous break-in. Stinson St. was a convenient location but had too much crime for us.
Basically anywhere within a stone's throw of that BP gas station can be a problem I think. I've never heard of violent crime in Carrboro, save for the deranged 65-year old who shot his son-in-law in the Carrboro Plaza parking lot last winter, but petty crime is an issue in places.
Are these two places (the self storage and the BP) near Jones Ferry Rd. where you already mentioned or are they someplace else? If so, what are the cross streets. Most of the feedback so far seems to be contained to one main area - kind of that chunk of land west of greensboro street and sandwiched between NC 54 & Main Street. Would that be a fair assessment?
thank you very much for the feedback, everyone - it is extremely helpful!!
The self storage and BP are both on Jones Ferry, between 54 and Main.
There's pockets of sort of run down areas scattered in other areas too. I think if you actually visited and looked at the house you were going to buy or rent, you'd be able to tell quickly.
The self storage and BP are both on Jones Ferry, between 54 and Main.
There's pockets of sort of run down areas scattered in other areas too. I think if you actually visited and looked at the house you were going to buy or rent, you'd be able to tell quickly.
Yeah... we definitely will come in person to rent a place - not comfortable doing sight unseen. I was just mainly trying to find out if there was a particular area that I should immediately rule out so when we do hit town to pick a place we will be able to use our time most efficiently. It sounds like that little corridor would be an area to avoid. I really appreciate the feedback!! This board has been super helpful!
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.
I was just mainly trying to find out if there was a particular area that I should immediately rule out so when we do hit town to pick a place we will be able to use our time most efficiently. It sounds like that little corridor would be an area to avoid. I really appreciate the feedback!! This board has been super helpful! 
