Michigan to North Carolina - Where should we live?
March 28, 2011 6:30 AM Subscribe
Family and I decided that this would be our last winter in Michigan. After much debate we have chosen North Carolina. Neither of us have family or friends in NC. Not sure where to live. Can you help?
Wife gets the seasonal blahs and I rather spend more time playing outdoors with the kids and not worrying about them turning into human popsicles. We choose NC because its not too hot, not too cold and there are 4 seasons. Before you can help us, you probably need to know a few things:
Me
I’ve been working in the IT world for 18 years. Last 9 years as a Network and Support Manager / HIPAA Security Officer for a large community mental health organization. I have an MBA in Information Technology Management and working on my PMP certification. I also have a conglomeration of Comptia, Cisco, Microsoft, and Novell certificates. For hobbies I enjoy Mix Martial Arts (I have a local cage fight coming up), Mountain Biking, Hiking, and making stuff (Art, Inventions, Apps,…etc).
The Wife
She has been an executive secretary for a total 12 years. For hobbies she is a Girl Scot district leader, loves hiking, brunch, walking, a community that offers a lot of programs.
Random
We have 2 kids ages 2 and 6. We are not religious. We currently live in a house we built in the suburbs. We love that all the neighbors have kids in the same age range. Our oldest goes to a good public school. We live in a safe but diverse neighborhood. I hate that we have to drive everywhere to do anything. I haven't found a job yet (trying to finish my PMP first) and we won't move until I do. Although I hate driving, I don't mind commuting... maximum 1/2 hour each way. We probably rent a house or an apartment at first. We don't really want to live near the ocean. We are not into sports.
Where should we live? What area should I look for work?
Wife gets the seasonal blahs and I rather spend more time playing outdoors with the kids and not worrying about them turning into human popsicles. We choose NC because its not too hot, not too cold and there are 4 seasons. Before you can help us, you probably need to know a few things:
Me
I’ve been working in the IT world for 18 years. Last 9 years as a Network and Support Manager / HIPAA Security Officer for a large community mental health organization. I have an MBA in Information Technology Management and working on my PMP certification. I also have a conglomeration of Comptia, Cisco, Microsoft, and Novell certificates. For hobbies I enjoy Mix Martial Arts (I have a local cage fight coming up), Mountain Biking, Hiking, and making stuff (Art, Inventions, Apps,…etc).
The Wife
She has been an executive secretary for a total 12 years. For hobbies she is a Girl Scot district leader, loves hiking, brunch, walking, a community that offers a lot of programs.
Random
We have 2 kids ages 2 and 6. We are not religious. We currently live in a house we built in the suburbs. We love that all the neighbors have kids in the same age range. Our oldest goes to a good public school. We live in a safe but diverse neighborhood. I hate that we have to drive everywhere to do anything. I haven't found a job yet (trying to finish my PMP first) and we won't move until I do. Although I hate driving, I don't mind commuting... maximum 1/2 hour each way. We probably rent a house or an apartment at first. We don't really want to live near the ocean. We are not into sports.
Where should we live? What area should I look for work?
Well, the easy answer seems to be the Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and environs). You get the tech job market in Research Triangle Park, which looks like your most important consideration. I'm guessing the next priority is schools, though you don't mention that. Before moving to Wake County (Raleigh), though, be sure to catch up on the mess with Wake County schools -- they're in danger of losing their accreditation because of a fiasco that started when the Tea Party took over the school board. BTW, I live in Chapel Hill. Feel free to Memail me if have more specific questions.
posted by Shoggoth at 6:38 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by Shoggoth at 6:38 AM on March 28, 2011
And one more thing, since you're into the MMA scene. You'll want to check out Team ROC. I used to do BJJ with them back when I had working knees -- they're good folks.
posted by Shoggoth at 6:42 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by Shoggoth at 6:42 AM on March 28, 2011
If you live in Raleigh, you will probably continue to hate that you have to drive everywhere to do anything. Sprawl is terrible. Chapel Hill is a lot more walkable and the city is beautiful (Carrboro too) but the houses are pretty expensive.
(Full disclosure: I'd rather brave a Michigan winter than a regular commute into RTP.)
posted by Jeanne at 6:48 AM on March 28, 2011
(Full disclosure: I'd rather brave a Michigan winter than a regular commute into RTP.)
posted by Jeanne at 6:48 AM on March 28, 2011
I'm in Raleigh. We moved here with no friends or family in the area and no jobs, and are still here, happily, six years later. The job market is strong here compared with most areas. Commutes to RTP (between Raleigh & Durham) are frustrating, but probably would not be more than 1/2 hour from most neighborhoods. I wouldn't want to do it, but plenty of people do. You wouldn't have to work in RTP, though; there are plenty of good companies within Raleigh itself.
The winters are definitely wintery, but nothing like Michigan. Less severe and much, much shorter. The long springs and falls here are just lovely.
posted by something something at 6:50 AM on March 28, 2011
The winters are definitely wintery, but nothing like Michigan. Less severe and much, much shorter. The long springs and falls here are just lovely.
posted by something something at 6:50 AM on March 28, 2011
Check out Charlotte - the Lake Norman area is nice - I went to school at Davidson, and the lake makes for lots of nice opportunities for you to pursue your outdoor activities. Charlotte DOES have a lot of sprawl. Like the poster above said about Raleigh, you would have to choose wisely about where to live if you wanted to avoid tons of driving. However, again, Davidson is just a really nice place.
My best friend grew up in Hendersonville, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but Asheville is nearby and would be worth your consideration. Depending on where you choose to live my understanding is it's very bike-able. It's also obviously right on top of the mountains and therefore also quite nice for your outdoor activities.
The Charlotte metro will obviously be an easier place to find a job, but Asheville is worth a visit to figure out if you want to hunt hardcore there. It's a gorgeous place.
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:09 AM on March 28, 2011
My best friend grew up in Hendersonville, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but Asheville is nearby and would be worth your consideration. Depending on where you choose to live my understanding is it's very bike-able. It's also obviously right on top of the mountains and therefore also quite nice for your outdoor activities.
The Charlotte metro will obviously be an easier place to find a job, but Asheville is worth a visit to figure out if you want to hunt hardcore there. It's a gorgeous place.
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:09 AM on March 28, 2011
Definitely check out Asheville!
posted by DizzyLeaf at 7:18 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by DizzyLeaf at 7:18 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Another vote for the Raleigh-Durham area. I live in Durham and love it. Commuting from Durham to RTP isn't bad at all. However, if I were moving here with kids, I would not want to live in this area because of the school districts. My partner and I are more than likely going to have to move when young Mr. Tootsalot becomes school age.
There are many great options, and as others have mentioned, a very strong job market. Chapel Hill & Carrboro are a bit on the pricey side, but have some of the best schools in the state. Durham is great, but has a bad reputation, and like I said, you'd have to be picky about where you lived b/c of school districts. Luckily, the best schools are in south Durham near I-40, which make commuting even easier. Raleigh is a great city as well, although a little generic for my tastes. There's also Cary, which is kind of in between, has the reputation of being one giant subdivision, and is nicknamed "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees."
I've also head good things about Asheville and Wilmington, although Wilmington would be out if you don't want to live near the beach. FWIW, I don't have a good impression of Charlotte, in my head it is the land of NASCAR and Billy Graham Parkway.
posted by Tooty McTootsalot at 7:18 AM on March 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
There are many great options, and as others have mentioned, a very strong job market. Chapel Hill & Carrboro are a bit on the pricey side, but have some of the best schools in the state. Durham is great, but has a bad reputation, and like I said, you'd have to be picky about where you lived b/c of school districts. Luckily, the best schools are in south Durham near I-40, which make commuting even easier. Raleigh is a great city as well, although a little generic for my tastes. There's also Cary, which is kind of in between, has the reputation of being one giant subdivision, and is nicknamed "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees."
I've also head good things about Asheville and Wilmington, although Wilmington would be out if you don't want to live near the beach. FWIW, I don't have a good impression of Charlotte, in my head it is the land of NASCAR and Billy Graham Parkway.
posted by Tooty McTootsalot at 7:18 AM on March 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
There is a lot to be said for Raleigh-Durham, but I loves me some Greensboro. Its an incredibly livable little city and offers a lot.
posted by BobbyDigital at 7:22 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by BobbyDigital at 7:22 AM on March 28, 2011
One thing to keep in mind is that spring goes by another name: pollen. Aside from the sudden 36-degree weather today, the buds are out everywhere, and in a week or so, every car will be green. My husband, my boss, and half of the people I know are walking allergy commercials.
My take on the sprawl is that you kind of have to pick your poison. Raleigh is chock-full of Things To Do, from shopping to greenways to culture. We have friends from downtown to the outer reaches of the county. But I live and work "inside the beltline," and without one specific choice we've made for our kids, I'd live a life mostly inside a 5-mile radius.
Shoggoth is right. You should become familiar with the Wake County schools issues.
Wake County Public Schools
WRAL forum on schools (CBS affiliate station)
blog from the News & Observer (newspaper)
You will also have a full range of choices on private schools, from Waldorf to Montessori to Friends (Quaker) to religious and secular schools.
And there is plenty of Girl Scout activity. (Coastal Pines covers about a third of the state (I think), with one or two other councils for the rest.)
So far as the whole state goes, think about what you want to have when you get here. Greenville may be more your style. Or Winston-Salem, or Hickory. Here's a page put together by state government with a whole section on moving to NC.
posted by ES Mom at 7:30 AM on March 28, 2011
My take on the sprawl is that you kind of have to pick your poison. Raleigh is chock-full of Things To Do, from shopping to greenways to culture. We have friends from downtown to the outer reaches of the county. But I live and work "inside the beltline," and without one specific choice we've made for our kids, I'd live a life mostly inside a 5-mile radius.
Shoggoth is right. You should become familiar with the Wake County schools issues.
Wake County Public Schools
WRAL forum on schools (CBS affiliate station)
blog from the News & Observer (newspaper)
You will also have a full range of choices on private schools, from Waldorf to Montessori to Friends (Quaker) to religious and secular schools.
And there is plenty of Girl Scout activity. (Coastal Pines covers about a third of the state (I think), with one or two other councils for the rest.)
So far as the whole state goes, think about what you want to have when you get here. Greenville may be more your style. Or Winston-Salem, or Hickory. Here's a page put together by state government with a whole section on moving to NC.
posted by ES Mom at 7:30 AM on March 28, 2011
Another vote for RTP, but definitely rent until you find out where you'll be working and can buy with your commute in mind. The commutes are a nightmare for a region that size. (I-40 was carrying like 10x the amount of traffic it was designed for before they upgraded it, and I the upgrade leaves it still behind.)
I lived in Durham which I actually liked a lot. Raleigh has a great downtown but is nothing but sprawl beyond that; Chapel Hill is a nice town but very definitely a college town. Durham has an old-fashioned downtown that's revitalizing and it is much smaller than Raleigh, so easier to get around. The public schools aren't great but they're not the Wake County nightmare either. It's fairly diverse and there are nice "suburbanish" areas.
Cary is the Containment Area for Relocated Yankees and has good schools, dull McMansion housing developments, not much diversity, and fairly reasonable commutes to RTP. Also a good mall. A lot of people end up there with their families just for the schools.
But you won't walk anywhere -- there are no sidewalks outside the old downtowns much of the time -- and all your neighbors will be religious, some of them annoyingly so.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:37 AM on March 28, 2011
I lived in Durham which I actually liked a lot. Raleigh has a great downtown but is nothing but sprawl beyond that; Chapel Hill is a nice town but very definitely a college town. Durham has an old-fashioned downtown that's revitalizing and it is much smaller than Raleigh, so easier to get around. The public schools aren't great but they're not the Wake County nightmare either. It's fairly diverse and there are nice "suburbanish" areas.
Cary is the Containment Area for Relocated Yankees and has good schools, dull McMansion housing developments, not much diversity, and fairly reasonable commutes to RTP. Also a good mall. A lot of people end up there with their families just for the schools.
But you won't walk anywhere -- there are no sidewalks outside the old downtowns much of the time -- and all your neighbors will be religious, some of them annoyingly so.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:37 AM on March 28, 2011
I'm in Cary (next to Raleigh) and I think this area would be a great match for you professionally and for your family. Contrary to what Eyebrows McGee says above, Cary (in my experience) has a lot of diversity and has plenty of variety in the housing market. I can and do walk to parks, playgrounds, shops and grocery stores from my house in Cary, so you can definitely find walkability if it's important to you. I don't think I'd call the mall "good," particularly compared to the ones in Raleigh and Durham.
I would recommend doing some browsing on the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill city-data forum -- you'll find a lot of useful info.
"We are not into sports."
Be prepared to have any shade of blue in your wardrobe interpreted as support for one of the local college teams.
posted by BurntHombre at 7:44 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would recommend doing some browsing on the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill city-data forum -- you'll find a lot of useful info.
"We are not into sports."
Be prepared to have any shade of blue in your wardrobe interpreted as support for one of the local college teams.
posted by BurntHombre at 7:44 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I disagree that Raleigh isn't a walkable city - I live in North Raleigh, seen as suburbia, but from my house I can walk to the library, two grocery stores, restaurants, bars, my dentist's & vet's office, etc. I'm also less than a mile from a greenway entrance, which I can conceivably use to ride my bike all the way to my office (and I swear, I am really going to try that this year). You do have to look a little to find the right place, but it's not unreasonable.
posted by something something at 7:44 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by something something at 7:44 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would suggest RTP or Charlotte if jobs are a main concern, but don't discount the suburbs of either location. Mathews or Mint Hill are both attached to Charlotte and significantly nicer. If you live close to the city center of each you can walk to most things you would need. Also look into a more coastal or mountainous city. Wilmington is very nice with plenty of walking destinations and close to the beach, or if you like mountains try Asheville or Greensboro.
posted by token-ring at 7:48 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by token-ring at 7:48 AM on March 28, 2011
We moved from East Lansing to northeastern NC and loved it so much we moved to Minnesota in less than a year. Stay further west. There's nothing there unless you like flat, oppressively hot and no economy. The coast itself is nice, but you want to either be right on it or a long way from it, not in the coastal plain in between.
Wilmington might be an exception. But expect it to be a lot more moist than you are used to, and you will find mold in strange places. Michigan gets damp but not like NC did, and the winters? Man. The cold seeps into you like you wouldn't believe - that damp cold winter was worse than the good old honest 40 below days here in Minnesota.
So in short Raleigh-Durham or Asheville, we figure if we'd have moved that direction we might still be there - but not the coast, especially not the coast near Virginia.
And remember, as a Michigan transplant - when in NC it's pronounced SHAR-lit, not shar-LOTT. :)
posted by caution live frogs at 7:53 AM on March 28, 2011
Wilmington might be an exception. But expect it to be a lot more moist than you are used to, and you will find mold in strange places. Michigan gets damp but not like NC did, and the winters? Man. The cold seeps into you like you wouldn't believe - that damp cold winter was worse than the good old honest 40 below days here in Minnesota.
So in short Raleigh-Durham or Asheville, we figure if we'd have moved that direction we might still be there - but not the coast, especially not the coast near Virginia.
And remember, as a Michigan transplant - when in NC it's pronounced SHAR-lit, not shar-LOTT. :)
posted by caution live frogs at 7:53 AM on March 28, 2011
I live in Durham and work in Raleigh. My commute is 30 miles, but takes only about 30-35 minutes because it's all highway. Don't try to live in Raleigh and commute west, though. It's always a nightmare during rush hour. The direction I go, on the other hand, is smooth sailing everyday.
posted by Stewriffic at 8:16 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by Stewriffic at 8:16 AM on March 28, 2011
I want to chime in to emphasize what caution says: Do not live in eastern North Carolina. I love this state, I grew up out there, but it is a very economically depressed area and just not a good place to raise a family unless you have very little ambition for your children and a whole lot of religion.
RDU is fantastic, for many reasons that others have listed. I love Durham the most, but may be leaving when young Mr. Tootsalot*, mentioned in Tooty's comment above, arrives on the scene and needs to go to school. It's not that there aren't any good schools in Durham at all, but you have to be in specific districts and it's not always easy. Wake County is, as also mentioned above, in the midst of a schooling nightmare, and I would not live there for love nor money until that mess is sorted out.
If I was you and your family, I would be looking for a home in south Durham County or in Chatham County, near I-40, and I'd be looking for a job in RTP and at the local universities. I would also consider Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, kind of depending on how much money you'll make and what kind of housing you can afford--but I've heard that while the Chapel Hill town school district is great, not all of Orange County is good.
I'd be flexible. While I joke about Raleigh and Cary being lame, they really aren't all that bad outside of the awful school issue. However, if you look at political maps (before Obama), Orange and Durham counties were regularly the only blue counties in the entire state. Wake and Mecklenberg (that's where Charlotte is) are just a lot more conservative and religious than you'll find in Orange and Durham.
Please feel free to memail me if you want to chat about the area or want any specific advice.
*I am probably just responding to this thread so I can type that out.
posted by hought20 at 8:30 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
RDU is fantastic, for many reasons that others have listed. I love Durham the most, but may be leaving when young Mr. Tootsalot*, mentioned in Tooty's comment above, arrives on the scene and needs to go to school. It's not that there aren't any good schools in Durham at all, but you have to be in specific districts and it's not always easy. Wake County is, as also mentioned above, in the midst of a schooling nightmare, and I would not live there for love nor money until that mess is sorted out.
If I was you and your family, I would be looking for a home in south Durham County or in Chatham County, near I-40, and I'd be looking for a job in RTP and at the local universities. I would also consider Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, kind of depending on how much money you'll make and what kind of housing you can afford--but I've heard that while the Chapel Hill town school district is great, not all of Orange County is good.
I'd be flexible. While I joke about Raleigh and Cary being lame, they really aren't all that bad outside of the awful school issue. However, if you look at political maps (before Obama), Orange and Durham counties were regularly the only blue counties in the entire state. Wake and Mecklenberg (that's where Charlotte is) are just a lot more conservative and religious than you'll find in Orange and Durham.
Please feel free to memail me if you want to chat about the area or want any specific advice.
*I am probably just responding to this thread so I can type that out.
posted by hought20 at 8:30 AM on March 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yeah, just coming in to tell you that the Triangle sounds ideal for you. I'll add that, as a parent with a child in Wake County schools, the drama that people in the thread have mentioned has (to this point) had little to no effect on my daughter's day-to-day school experience. They are still largely the same schools and the same teachers that were considered among the best in the country a few years ago. Now, who knows what kind of damage the school board will be able to do in the next few years, but for now, at least, I have no problems with the education my daughter is receiving.
We've got a meetup scheduled for next week, by the by...
posted by Rock Steady at 8:38 AM on March 28, 2011
We've got a meetup scheduled for next week, by the by...
posted by Rock Steady at 8:38 AM on March 28, 2011
Oh, and I lived in Michigan for six years, and the winters here are nowhere, not even a little bit close, nothing a bit LIKE, as bad as the winters up in Michigan. Sure, it's damp here, but I think it's just as humid in the Lansing area, in the middle of the summer. The weather here is pure paradise compared to the weather up there. Oy.
posted by hought20 at 8:39 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by hought20 at 8:39 AM on March 28, 2011
Re: the religion issue - anywhere you move in the south, you're going to be dealing with religious people. I live in Atlanta, went to school in Davidson, and it's just a fact of life that I ignore. It's perfectly possible to find people who are either not annoying (Presbyterians, Methodists, etc, who are only interested in feeding you a casserole, not converting you to Jesus) or who are not religious. Don't let the Jesus scare you off if you really want to go to NC.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:43 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:43 AM on March 28, 2011
Moved to Durham from Iowa 7 years ago. Really love it -- RTP is a good place to work, and less than a 15 minute commute on a traffic-free freeway. Downtown Durham is walkable but still a bit up-and-coming; but new locally-owned restaurants are opening every week or so. People who live in Durham tend to love it, people who live in the suburban areas around Raleigh, etc tend to be afraid of it.
Raleigh seems nice if you can live near downtown. Otherwise, it's drive drive drive. Chapel Hill is a lovely college town with free buses, but expensive.
posted by statolith at 9:40 AM on March 28, 2011
Raleigh seems nice if you can live near downtown. Otherwise, it's drive drive drive. Chapel Hill is a lovely college town with free buses, but expensive.
posted by statolith at 9:40 AM on March 28, 2011
Okay, I think I've gotten in several of these threads, but why not another while I eat lunch?
Where I've lived (for at least a year at each place) - Louisville, KY; Lexington, KY; Ypsilanti, MI; Dublin, Ireland; Morehead, KY; Charlotte, NC.
I grew up in Louisville, went to college in Lexington. After some years of working in Lexington, I moved to Michigan for wife. When I lived in Ypsi, I had a terrible commute into different parts of Detroit (mostly northern suburbs) for the first two years, then went to grad school for the last three years. Had an academic fellowship to Ireland, then first teaching job in small town Kentucky. My second teaching job finds me here at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
First, winters can't compare. You know how in Michigan you don't see the ground until March? Well in Charlotte, the dead leaves don't really come off the trees until January! I didn't rake my yard until after the New Year! We had about 5 days max with snow and it was just a few inches. It did cause most people here to freak out, but that was not a big deal.
Fall and Spring do seem to be quite long, but it's very true what someone said upthread about pollen. I've never had allergies, but my nose has been low-level draining for over a month. I can deal with it, but it's definitely there.
Lastly, you said not too hot... I don't know how far South you've lived, but in Kentucky and here it can easily be mid-90s, with 90% humidity. Much, much, much, much more humid than Michigan.
Commute - I live close in, in highly affordable East Charlotte. Houses in our neighborhood are under 150k. I drive 15 minutes to campus to work. I hope to start taking the bus soon to make the commute even easier.
Religion - I don't think Charlotte is as conservative as Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo, where my wife's family is from. For one thing the population is too diverse for any one group to have a real stranglehold on the culture. That said, I don't live in South Charlotte and have heard from people who live further south that it might be more conservative. I had one person ask me about religion to ask me to come to church, but he didn't press it when I didn't follow up. Again, Charlotte is a large city (almost 2 million people), so while it has this Nascar/Billy Graham view (mentioned upthread), it's quite diverse.
There's lots of other things to mention, but I don't know as much about MMA or Girl Scouts. I think if you were looking for high tech jobs, you would find one quickest in Charlotte. There is a French high-tech firm that is looking to open a large office in Uptown, in fact, I just forget the name.
Anyway, that's my two cents...
posted by Slothrop at 9:58 AM on March 28, 2011
Where I've lived (for at least a year at each place) - Louisville, KY; Lexington, KY; Ypsilanti, MI; Dublin, Ireland; Morehead, KY; Charlotte, NC.
I grew up in Louisville, went to college in Lexington. After some years of working in Lexington, I moved to Michigan for wife. When I lived in Ypsi, I had a terrible commute into different parts of Detroit (mostly northern suburbs) for the first two years, then went to grad school for the last three years. Had an academic fellowship to Ireland, then first teaching job in small town Kentucky. My second teaching job finds me here at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
First, winters can't compare. You know how in Michigan you don't see the ground until March? Well in Charlotte, the dead leaves don't really come off the trees until January! I didn't rake my yard until after the New Year! We had about 5 days max with snow and it was just a few inches. It did cause most people here to freak out, but that was not a big deal.
Fall and Spring do seem to be quite long, but it's very true what someone said upthread about pollen. I've never had allergies, but my nose has been low-level draining for over a month. I can deal with it, but it's definitely there.
Lastly, you said not too hot... I don't know how far South you've lived, but in Kentucky and here it can easily be mid-90s, with 90% humidity. Much, much, much, much more humid than Michigan.
Commute - I live close in, in highly affordable East Charlotte. Houses in our neighborhood are under 150k. I drive 15 minutes to campus to work. I hope to start taking the bus soon to make the commute even easier.
Religion - I don't think Charlotte is as conservative as Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo, where my wife's family is from. For one thing the population is too diverse for any one group to have a real stranglehold on the culture. That said, I don't live in South Charlotte and have heard from people who live further south that it might be more conservative. I had one person ask me about religion to ask me to come to church, but he didn't press it when I didn't follow up. Again, Charlotte is a large city (almost 2 million people), so while it has this Nascar/Billy Graham view (mentioned upthread), it's quite diverse.
There's lots of other things to mention, but I don't know as much about MMA or Girl Scouts. I think if you were looking for high tech jobs, you would find one quickest in Charlotte. There is a French high-tech firm that is looking to open a large office in Uptown, in fact, I just forget the name.
Anyway, that's my two cents...
posted by Slothrop at 9:58 AM on March 28, 2011
You've got quite a different situation, but just chiming in to say my parents moved to Greensboro a few years back, and compared to where I grew up (suburban MD), I love visiting them there. BobbyDigital is spot on: very livable little city. And lots of young people because of all the colleges. Not sure what the public schools are like, though.
posted by deludingmyself at 10:10 AM on March 28, 2011
posted by deludingmyself at 10:10 AM on March 28, 2011
I moved from Michigan to Chapel Hill eighteen years ago, and never left. I can't ever cope with a "real" winter ever again*. If you end up in Durham, Chapel Hill or Carrboro, look me up. From your description our families have more than a few things in common.
*the winters between MI and NC cannot be compared, but we do get winter weather here. The problem is, they are just not set up to cope with it. Salt & sand trucks and plows are many fewer and father between, so when your hilly street accumulates a few inches it will take much longer for Mr. Plow to come and get the traffic moving again.
posted by pinky at 10:50 AM on March 28, 2011
*the winters between MI and NC cannot be compared, but we do get winter weather here. The problem is, they are just not set up to cope with it. Salt & sand trucks and plows are many fewer and father between, so when your hilly street accumulates a few inches it will take much longer for Mr. Plow to come and get the traffic moving again.
posted by pinky at 10:50 AM on March 28, 2011
...we do get winter weather here. The problem is, they are just not set up to cope with it. Salt & sand trucks and plows are many fewer and father between, so when your hilly street accumulates a few inches it will take much longer for Mr. Plow to come and get the traffic moving again.
But that's part of the joy! Every major snow comes with an automatic holiday.
(Ok, well, for someone like me who's lived in the South their whole life, snow is a likely still a bit more magical and fun than it is for someone from MI.)
posted by Tooty McTootsalot at 11:59 AM on March 28, 2011
But that's part of the joy! Every major snow comes with an automatic holiday.
(Ok, well, for someone like me who's lived in the South their whole life, snow is a likely still a bit more magical and fun than it is for someone from MI.)
posted by Tooty McTootsalot at 11:59 AM on March 28, 2011
As someone who actually lives in Asheville, no, you don't want to move here. Yes, I love it; yes, it's awesome for fun things to do, including all the things on your list and yes, the schools are excellent. Unfortunately, the job situation bites and I mean bites. You might - MIGHT - be able to find a job but your wife probably will not. I say this as someone with executive secretary skills and experience on top of a lifetime nonprofit management career who just took a job as a cashier in a big box store. Even if you do find jobs, expect a big pay cut. Asheville boasts the lowest salaries and the highest cost of living in North Carolina. Also, remember, every so often like last year we have a real winter - as in 17" of snow in a day.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:34 PM on March 28, 2011
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:34 PM on March 28, 2011
Response by poster: All fantastic responses! Thank you all so much. Will be taking a trip down in June to scope out the areas listed. I might hit a couple you in MeFi Mail for further information once we narrow down locations.
posted by bleucube at 1:48 PM on March 28, 2011
posted by bleucube at 1:48 PM on March 28, 2011
For the record, I'm a former Michigander who ended up in southwest Charlotte (Ballantyne), largely by chance. I do know that there's at least one MMA gym in town, that the winters are weak and wussy, and that it seems that the people who can afford it send their kids to private schools. (I am not a parent, however, so that could just be confirmation bias based on school-related bumper stickers). Charlotte does seem to be a very family-friendly town, and I have gotten the impression that it's not a bad place to be if you know computers. There are a number of greenways within the city for walking and biking, and in my area there are some nice, wide roads with bike paths as well. Also, we're closeish to Asheville, which is nice.
If you can work and live in the same area, you might be able to walk to a surprising number of places; I can walk to work, the grocery store, several restaurants, physicians, pharmacies, an urgent care clinic, and a number of other stores without too much of a trek. If you drive, there is one downside: the drivers here are terrible. So, so bad. On the other hand, the traffic isn't bad at all (at least for someone who most recently was in NoVA) and the roads are in better shape than they are in Michigan.
Anyway, it's not my ideal city, given that I enjoy colder weather and a more urban environment, but it's nice, and I can answer further questions you might have via MeFi Mail if Charlotte sounds your speed.
posted by daikaisho at 4:37 PM on March 28, 2011
If you can work and live in the same area, you might be able to walk to a surprising number of places; I can walk to work, the grocery store, several restaurants, physicians, pharmacies, an urgent care clinic, and a number of other stores without too much of a trek. If you drive, there is one downside: the drivers here are terrible. So, so bad. On the other hand, the traffic isn't bad at all (at least for someone who most recently was in NoVA) and the roads are in better shape than they are in Michigan.
Anyway, it's not my ideal city, given that I enjoy colder weather and a more urban environment, but it's nice, and I can answer further questions you might have via MeFi Mail if Charlotte sounds your speed.
posted by daikaisho at 4:37 PM on March 28, 2011
I live just outside of Greensboro (in Summerfield) and work in High Point. Coincidentally, my employer in High Point is recruiting a hospital information security person.
I moved here from the Denver area about 3 years ago, and compared to Denver it sucks. But compared to many other places, it isn't too bad. Despite my dislike, a lot of people move specifically to North Carolina and enjoy it.
Schools in and around Greensboro are best on the northern and northwestern sides of town, but it is definitely not walkable around here. It is a mix of McMansions and rural housing. The schools right in the core of the city are also good (and nicely diverse). However, the cost of housing here seems high, and you'll definitely pay more for good schools.
Unless you get right up in the mountains (Asheville), there really aren't any mountains upon which to bike (although again, coming from the Denver area makes any outdoor activity seem like a pale imitation of the Rocky Mountain real thing).
I'm being very grouchy about it, but I think this is a nice place to live. The parks in Greensboro are really nice, with some great trails for hiking and biking connecting them. More info here. They do have a lot of great programs. I have about a 35 minute commute, but I chose that for a terrific job. Fifteen to 20 minutes is more typical around here.
posted by jeoc at 4:39 PM on March 28, 2011
I moved here from the Denver area about 3 years ago, and compared to Denver it sucks. But compared to many other places, it isn't too bad. Despite my dislike, a lot of people move specifically to North Carolina and enjoy it.
Schools in and around Greensboro are best on the northern and northwestern sides of town, but it is definitely not walkable around here. It is a mix of McMansions and rural housing. The schools right in the core of the city are also good (and nicely diverse). However, the cost of housing here seems high, and you'll definitely pay more for good schools.
Unless you get right up in the mountains (Asheville), there really aren't any mountains upon which to bike (although again, coming from the Denver area makes any outdoor activity seem like a pale imitation of the Rocky Mountain real thing).
I'm being very grouchy about it, but I think this is a nice place to live. The parks in Greensboro are really nice, with some great trails for hiking and biking connecting them. More info here. They do have a lot of great programs. I have about a 35 minute commute, but I chose that for a terrific job. Fifteen to 20 minutes is more typical around here.
posted by jeoc at 4:39 PM on March 28, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
However, they still get snow there (not "much", but still snow). NC still has "winter", it ain't Florida..
posted by k5.user at 6:34 AM on March 28, 2011