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| Moving - 8/12/2013
My boyfriend and I have been discussing a possible move to North or South Carolina in the next few years. I am thinking more along the lines of North Carolina because I want to be a Veterinarian and I would need to go to school in Raleigh. I am trying to figure out the best areas to live and their cost of living. I would need to know areas that have great school districts, with low crime rates. I will probably be about 25 when we decide to move. He wants to move to South Carolina because of the beach, but unfortunately that would put me out for school. So can anyone tell me how local the beaches are to some of the better, more cost efficient areas ? I will be a vet tech when we move, so I will make decent money, and he is a photographer. We will not be too financially strapped but I need to know we'll be okay. Thank you for your information ![read more...]
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| Durham NC Weather Good - 7/9/2013
Durham North Carolina is located in the heart of North Carolina's central Piedmont region. Durham is one of the three cities that comprise the Research Triangle Park, the other two being Raleigh and Chapel Hill.
Overall Durham has great weather, averaging 111 clear days, and 106 partly sunny days, meaning you will be seeing Carolina blue skies 217 days of the year. Basically Durham has six months of perfect weather. The best time weather is from mid-March through mid-June, and from mid-September through mid-December. The fall weather being some of the nicest.
However, there is a price, summers are very hot and often humid, with some Ozone warning days during the hottest periods in late July and August. Drought conditions can occur in high summer. However, North Carolina has some of the best beaches in the country, so if you like the heat, the beach is only two and a half hours away. Conversely, you can escape from the heat to Asheville high up the Appalachian mountains, in a mere four hours.
We do see seasonal changes to the foliage starting in October, however, Winters overall are very mild, the coldest weather comes in mid-January through February. More than a few inches of snow is the exception rather than the rule, and it rarely lasts for more than a week. x
During the spring and fall severe weather in the form of Hurricanes and Tornadoes is a yearly concern, but rarely do you see wide spread damage. Some flooding can occur in low lying areas, but this is true of almost any part of the country. In winter rare ice storms are some of the most beautiful, but most dangerous phenomenon, causing damage from falling trees and branches, and power outages from snapped power lines. Dangerous driving conditions often occur because of the day/night thaw/freeze cycle creating slippery patches of black road ice, often catching out of state drivers not familiar with these conditions unawares.
Overall I would give Durham North Carolina weather a 9 out of 10.[read more...]
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| Lots of Outdoor Options - 7/5/2013
Durham ( & the Triangle / Central NC area), is a great location for outdoor activity. There are state parks, hiking trails, and a number of lakes & rivers nearby. Both the mountains & coast are within reasonable driving distance (a few hours).
The main drawback, for me, is that the summers can be too hot & humid to really enjoy activities like hiking & camping.[read more...]
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| considering move to Durham NC-soliciting advice - 4/16/2013
I am considering a move to Durham NC. I am a 43 year old single African American with two elementary age children, one of which has Autism Spectrum. I have a Ph.D. and will be looking for work as a professor or counselor. I would appreciate any advice on Durham in terms of best places to live, public schools for special needs children, and social life. [read more...]
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| not mainstream - 2/3/2013
if you like to be all safe and snugly every time you leave your home, like a more homogenized population because all those "different' people are a little scary, you think schools should excel without having to expend any effort, you like Target, Kohl's and Wal-Mart to be right down the street, or you're wondering why a southern state would EVER vote blue, go to Cary, Raleigh, Clayton, Garner or one of these other fine Triangle-area towns...you really don't belong in Durham.
Durham, it's not for everyone.[read more...]
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| Interesting roadways.... - 5/9/2012
Came here after having lived in larger cities (Baltimore, Philadelphia)--the design of the roadways here is interesting to say the least. I understand the city's structure has changed a lot, so perhaps that's reflected here, but, I can never find a simple and direct route to travel anywhere.... It seems like a whole lot of "beltways" and no direct pathways. [read more...]
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| Durham great place? - 2/17/2012
Durham I can see is a great place for those who have little , are retired or in college. The school system seems like its mostly run by African Americans as well as the VA, To me it seems to be mostly a town which celebrates black history month and anything to do wth the black movement towards equality which means as an outsider who is white I have yet to find employment, Im not suprised however I am a transplant having been here in the 80s at Camp Lejeune as a Marine. The rent here is cheap as well as the homeownership but the work here is mostly banks, schools,and local grocery stores or the Police. It also seems like the town itself is incredibly contained or consumed by its own image and does not see that there is life beyond their own town. It is political and obviously democratic with a population of active Christians and Christian views. I was raised at the beach so this is definitly a different environment than Im used to. You either are accepted and make it here or you are quietly shunned to the back of the bus...[read more...]
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| Attending Duke or working there, you don't have to - 11/25/2011
Drive 10 minutes South, cross 15-501 and make your way to MLK. As a grad student I bought and have lived near Old Chapel Hill Rd. and MLK for 6 years. Talk about location, Near me I have great food options like Fosters, Guglhupf bakery, Blue Note Grill and Q Shack. Harris Teeter, Kroger, Target and Walmart are within 3 min. of my house. Downtown is a short 12 minute drive and so is Southpoint Mall if heading the other direction. Neighborhood is friendly and I don't go to too many of the local spots without running into someone I know. As a mom with a child there are awesome local parks, biking trails and Hope Valley Elementary all within minutes of my door. [read more...]
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| The good and the bad - 9/5/2011
I live and own a home in Chapel Hill city, but Durham county, which means I really live in Durham, when it comes to government, taxes, utilities, and crime stats. We've been here just over 2 years, but I grew up in Cary and spend a lot of time in Raleigh, so I feel pretty knowledgeable about the Triangle.
Neighborhoodwise, I'm in southwest Durham. People will tell you this is the safe part, full of new construction, subdivisions, shopping, and middle income professionals. That's all true. But don't be naive, we have crime here. In my fairly affluent neighborhood, home and car breakins are a constant and no longer surprise. Last year we had a random, really violent assault right on my street in broad daylight. You can't live in fear, but please don;t be naive about SW Durham. Get an alarm system and keep your home and cars locked. Don't leave electronics in view. Join your neighborhood watch committee and get to know your neighbors. The police in District 3 are great and will come to your house to do a safety inspection and make recommendations for preventing crime. This all sounds alarmist, but it's just being smart. The cops told us that drug addicts commit crimes in the morning, once they've run out of dope and cash, and they target wealthier areas.
All that being said, Durham is a cool town. A great food and bar scene, with that kind of gritty, indie culture you see in Austin, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, but it's still lowkey and cheap. Raleigh is much more slick and commercial and has lost some of its character in the last few years. Durham still has it. If you're gay or alternative in any way, you'll be comfortable here. The town's pretty diverse. My Asian friends from Raleigh like to hang out in Durham, since it's not just white people in all the hipster bars.
Just remember to look out the window before stepping out of your house. [read more...]
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| Dissapointing - 8/6/2011
Having moved from California I found this place to be a bit dissapointing. Not alot of tollerance for change, the locals seem to like the lifestyle. Housing is project like apartments, dated back 30 years...rents seem to change with the client...great for low income, disability or low paying wage class...can be frustrating for someone not from here..[read more...]
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| Nice Place to Live - 6/11/2011
North Carolina in general is a very nice place to live however some cities are easier to live in than others. We live in the triangle area in Durham but if we were looking again we would've probably ended up in Cary. Chapel Hill is nice but too crowded and busy. Durham has high crime rates and other problems but might be a good choice for urban pioneers/twittersomethings. Cary is more relaxed, very pretty with low crime and a significant Asian population which, in my estimation, always seems to up the quality of life in an area. There are many other areas in North Carolina - rural, coastal and mountainous as well that we haven't fully explored but which are also very attractive. Overall a great state to live in![read more...]
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| From the north - 5/8/2011
I AM ORIGIANLLY FROM MICHIGAN, I RELOCATED HERE TO HELP A FAMILY MEMBER IN NEED. FROM WHAT I CAN TELL DURHAM SEEMS LIKE A DECENT PLACE...ALTHOUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DON'T SEEM TO BE THAT GREAT, I AM REFERING TO TEST SCORES AND THE CRIMINAL LIKE BEHAVIOR OF SOME THE YOUNGER KIDS.
DURHAM IS A STEP UP COMPARED TO THE CITY I LIVED IN MICHIGAN, THERE IS MORE TO DO HERE, MORE JOBS, MORE EDUCATIONAL OPORTUNITIES AND ARTS.
AS FOR THE LOCALS, I'M NOT QUITE SOLD ON THE SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY I ACTUALLY FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST AS EQUALLY FRIENDLY HERE AS WELL AS SOME FOLKS IN MICHIGAN.[read more...]
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| Solid place to live - 2/9/2011
I have to say I am shocked to see some of the threads posted here trying to portray Durham in a bad light. Durham is an amazingly up and coming place to live and raise a family. Is there racism in places, some crime in areas, opportunities to improve, of course. What urban area doesn't struggle with these issues? Durham has made amazing strides and boasts many things: NY Times Top Places in the World to Visit in 2011, Best places for young people, America's Foodiest Small Town, Durham boast one of the top Theaters in the World(#11) in ticket sales, proximity to world renown intellectual centers of higher learning and business, and world renown healthcare.
Please think twice about posts listed here that are overly critical of Durham. Yes there are opportunities to improve, but a city only improves when individuals desire to be an active part of the community in which they live. I would be surprised to find out that the person who left Durham to move to Chapel Hill really found life to be all that better, or the housewife who claimed Durham to be boring ever left her comfort zone to look for culture and the opportunity to try something different.
If you're looking for a great place to live, first check your own attitude on life, then leave your neighborhood. Thankfully, I'm happy with the place my wife and our newborn have come to call home...Durham.[read more...]
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| I am glad I don't live there anymore - 2/3/2011
I was born and raised in Durham my entire life up until I was 24 and I have to say I am glad to be gone from that city. The people there are either racist as hell (both Black and White), stuck up 9th Street liberals who associate with Duke or troublemakers who have nothing else to do but cause trouble and there is generally nothing to do there for young people or the young at heart. There are no opportunities for young people either. Also, the cops are racist as hell too and won't help you if you're Black and victim of crime. I have since moved to Chapel Hill and while there some of the same here as there are in Durham, they not as profound as they are in Durham. I eventually would like to move to the West Coast( preferably Huntington Beach, California or maybe Oregon or Washington state).[read more...]
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| Housing Costs - 9/18/2009
If you're looking to buy your housing, Durham is hard to beat. Property costs here are quite low compared to many areas of the county, and it is still possible to find a good 3-4 bedroom house on a good-sized lot (or 1-4 acs) for less than 350K.[read more...]
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| South Durham - 9/11/2009
South Durham is a nice place to live for professionals in the computer and medical fields. Good job opportunities with local companies in the Research Triangle park, real estate and jobs that are weathering the downturn above average for the nation & state and reasonably good schools are the upsides. It's cheaper than nearby Cary, Chapel Hill, etc, but the schools and services are not as good. Having said that they are FAR superior to North Durham which is where Durham gets a lot of it's reputation.
North Durham is improving and may well be recommended in the future as well.[read more...]
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| Moving to Durham - 4/8/2009
I plan to relocate to durham this fall or winter so i am doing some research ont he city. If anyone can give me some feedback or insight on the city's schools, neighborhoods, and economy, I would be grateful.[read more...]
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| Moving to Durham - 4/8/2009
I plan to relocate to durham this fall or winter so i am doing some research ont he city. If anyone can give me some feedback or insight on the city's schools, neighborhoods, and economy, I would be grateful.[read more...]
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| Happy to live in Durham - 10/7/2007
My husband and I moved to Durham three years ago, from California. Between the two of us, we have lived in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Portland, and we like it here. We have found it very easy to meet people and our neighbors are friendly. We enjoy hiking, going to dinner, and the occasional concert. Duke protects much of the land in the area, ensuring that overdevelopment will not take over Durham's hiking and biking trails. There are some good schools here and some not so good schools- just do your research before choosing a neighborhood. We haven't had any issues with crime and feel very safe in our neighborhood- again this varies. We live in Southwest Durham. For a young family, starting off, we have been very happy here.[read more...]
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| Durham is not that bad but not that great either - 9/21/2007
Durham is not as bad crime wise as most would believe BUT it is BEYOND boring & because the ghetto takes up the ENTIRE center of Durham, it is depressing to drive around in Durham. Poverty is soo blatent & in your face here because it reaches far beyond the downtown area on all sides.
On the upside, there is a lot of developement going on here but I don't think that it even smells the natives here. My husband & I moved here a year ago from the N.East & we are bored every weekend. We like most transplants are doing VERY well financially but there is not much to do with the money.
Many sub-divisions that ALL look the same. This is a good place to be a bored housewife & raise kids. NOT ENOUGH CULTURE, or focus on world class dining, shopping, & intellects.
Very boring!!![read more...]
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