7/2/2007
those people who are content with a so-so job (depending on your profession), ho-hum night life (as there isn't too much to do after 9pm), and love to eat (there is a PLETHORA of restaurants!). Greensboro is one of those "in-between" places. I've lived there for 9 1/2 years (my husband and I live in High Point now). although there are museums, arts, a coliseum (holding concerts of well-known artists, arts/crafts shows, carnivals, other special events), excellent and major universities, some nice parks, a few night clubs and good restaurants, Greensboro still has a lot of growing up to do. when I arrived back in 1995 with my parents, it was sooo small and under-developed, but the boom was just starting to hit. yes it is true, the most excitement that happens on a nightly basis is the people hitting the restaurants. no, i'm not kidding. it's no wonder that many of these city dwellers are overweight!
don't get me wrong, there are parks with and without lakes and plenty of places to walk and get exercise, but this definitely isn't South Beach either. you've got RJ Reynolds/Lorillard, VF Corporation, RF MicroDevices, TIMCO, Dell, GlaxoSmithKline just to name a few major businesses that are some of the bigger employers in and near the area. Greensboro is one of the bigger cities of what is known here as the Triad (Winston-Salem and High Point make up the other part). both cities are merely miles away and easily accessible taking I-40 and I-85. traffic? no, there is none. although some Greensboroans will tell you otherwise. you see, I have lived in many different states and I've SEEN and been STUCK IN serious traffic where 1-2 hours standstill was the norm. you definitely will not see that unless there is a deadly, multiple-car highway accident taking up 2 lanes (which has happened).
compared to other places I've lived in, taxes are pretty low and overall cost of living is quite comfortable. out of the Triad cities, Greensboro is more "expensive" in housing, property tax, schools and the like. in some ways, the housing "boom" has actually gone out of control and in many areas there are just too many homes squished together, so unless you don't care that your neighbor might have a clear view of you in the shower then commuting to work in Greensboro might be a better arrangement. as a matter of fact, numerous people have chosen perimeter towns (Kernersville, Randleman, Oak Ridge, Whitsett and many others since the commute is 25 minutes o