Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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.
What is Raleigh itself like? Is it expecting any improvements or anything like that in the future? Obama's High Speed Rail plan calls for convergence in the Triangle that will go North, South, & SouthWest. See the link. The White House - Blog Post - A Vision for High Speed Rail Other than that the Triangle is always growing.
What is the weather like? In Wisconsin, the coldest it gets is about -20, with about 4 feet of snow, the warmest is about 85-90, but very humid. Anything above 20 is warm for us. There is a saying down here "We have all 4 seasons...in one week." Summers are hot and humid. Winters are generally above freezing in the upper 30's & 40's but can have wild spikes into the 70's then drop to freezing over night. Snow is rare (though it snowed twice this year) ice storms are more common.
Are there mosquitoes? I ask because Oregon, for instance, doesn't have any, and like I said, Wisconsin has a ton. Yes but they vary depending on the area. Clean areas with less standing water have less bugs in general.
Are people friendly? Of course, you aren't going to say no , but does Southern Hospitality exist, for instance, and if so what does it entail? Ok so I'm from Pittsburgh and have been here 10 years. I have my own theories on this. Generally people are very friendly but thats mostly because its not polite or acceptable to be rude. It doesn't mean they actually like you.
Is there anything aside from Universities that makes the research triangle unique? There is a growing high tech & Bio-tech market one of the best in the nation I would venture to guess. Other than that its all location. No matter what you are looking for it is nearby. Mountains with skiing, Wine country, Ocean, Islands, Historic little towns, Entertainment. You name it we have it without the feel of a massive city.
Is it safe? We are near Milwaukee, which is one of the most dangerous cities in the country, and we would like to get away from violence. Depends where you are. Durham is pretty rough, Raleigh to a lesser extent. North Raleigh & Wake boring and safe. Orange county generally very safe with a few small sketchy areas. Cary = suburban hell with urban sprawl everywhere but generally safe. As a whole outside of Durham violent crimes are not common.
I saw that NC is #1 in burglaries. Is this a concern for residents like yourselves? NC is a huge state that is very diverse. Winston-Salem & Charlotte I'd believe it but the Triangle (with the exception of Durham) I doubt it.
I have heard this area is fast growing, is it becoming a problem? In areas yes. Cary is the perfect picture of how urban sprawl can destroy a once beautiful town. But keep in mind the Triangle is huge covering 8 counties and including 1.4 million people as of the 2000 census. Each county and city handles things differently and there is often a noticeable difference when crossing into different areas culturally, politically, etc.
Is it safe? We are near Milwaukee, which is one of the most dangerous cities in the country, and we would like to get away from violence. Depends where you are. Durham is pretty rough, Raleigh to a lesser extent. North Raleigh & Wake boring and safe. Orange county generally very safe with a few small sketchy areas. Cary = suburban hell with urban sprawl everywhere but generally safe. As a whole outside of Durham violent crimes are not common.
Well, this oughta keep the board busy for the weekend.
Thanks to all who have replied so far! I have a couple more questions.
1) I read that the Raleigh area was not as effected by the recession as many other cities, because Raleigh's industries are not dependent upon the economy. Is this true?
2) Also, we would be looking to build a house in the $500-750,000 range. Where would be an ideal suburb/town/location for a house of this price?
Thanks to all who have replied so far! I have a couple more questions.
1) I read that the Raleigh area was not as effected by the recession as many other cities, because Raleigh's industries are not dependent upon the economy. Is this true?
2) Also, we would be looking to build a house in the $500-750,000 range. Where would be an ideal suburb/town/location for a house of this price?
Thank you.
1) Right. Raleigh area is less affected than many other cities. But it is a global economy, and the Triangle is certainly not unscathed.
2) Many parts of Cary, S Raleigh, N Raleigh, N Durham, SE Durham, and rural Orange County would all support the notion of living in such a home.
Do you have to build new? There is a ton of inventory in the $650,000-$800,000 range currently. Much of that is new construction, and a great deal of the rest is less than 3-4 years old.
That is a very nice price point to get a decent price on a great home, right now.
1) I read that the Raleigh area was not as effected by the recession as many other cities, because Raleigh's industries are not dependent upon the economy. Is this true?
North Carolina's Unemployment increase from March 08-March 09 was 5.4%, #3 in the nation. While "NC" is not the same as "Raleigh" or "The Triangle", obviously for the state do show such a jump, an area comprising 1/8 of the population of the state must be hurting to some degree, as well.
State government, supposedly one of the most secure "industries", is having a small furlough/pay cut and I've heard the "RIF" word (Reduction in Force) whispered around the halls as more than just speculation. This is in Raleigh. Furthermore, what jobs there are are being applied to from folks all across the country who've heard it's better here, just like you have. Talking to people who actually read applications, the number of respondents is at least double the "usual" rate, so competition for the jobs that are here is so much more than a year ago, with people being laid off weekly (ergo more competition for those few openings).
Do not assume you will be able to move here and THEN find a job; get the job lines up first, before moving.
So be careful how you define "not as affected by the recession"...we are still unquestionably in a recession, but is like it is in Michigan? No.
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.