ILM = Wilmington, North Carolina
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12/29/2006
I moved here three years ago, after visiting Wilmington (ILM = airport designation) f/over 10 years. My daughter went to UNCW &, like so many others, decided to stay here. ILM is a great place to live.
People are nice, downtown is quaint, historical, fun & safe. There is plenty to do, you will any good or service you need right here & we have: *the beach*!!
When I moved here, I heard two silly falsehoods:
#1) What a cold winter !! // My Answer: No, just because the temperature went below 32 *twice* doesn't make it a 'cold winter'!
#2) Traffic here is terrible // My Answer: Yes, it is bad & getting worse. But it is nothing compared to an urban city. You can get anywhere, even during 'rush hour', in 30 minutes.
Wilmingon enjoys a mild temperataure. Yes, it is warm & humid in July & August, just like anywhere else. But f/the other 10 months of the year, we have fabulous weather. We occasionally get up to 70 degrees in November, December, January & February. Friends ask if I miss the snow. My stock answer is 'no'; I can always plan a trip to visit it.
Crime is low (worst downtown, after 1am), schools are good, housing is affordable & quality of life is very good. There are plenty of artistic & cultural things to do. And, we have: *the beach*!!
Wages are lower than the Northeast & upper income jobs are harder to secure. This is a town w/a high per centage of college students (UNCW population exceeds 12,000), so low cost labor is readily available. There is also a growing contingent of retired Northerners. They volunteer but also take low to middle income jobs. & there aren't that many big employers in Wilmington, so don't count on keeping that large pay check if you decide to move here.
Life is wonderful here ...... but the secret is getting out & ILM is growing like crazy.
Matthew | Murraysville, NC