Durham is changing
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10/10/2021
I've lived in durham for a few years and my experience is coming from someone who has traveled all over the world and has lived in many different states. First things first North Carolina is one of the most beautiful states when it comes to the mountains or the beach. In Durham you are not going to be able to do that in one day without driving 4 or 5 hours a day just to do it. So if you have a job that lets you have long weekends or weekends than that is the way to do that. The cost of living here is nowhere near as cheap as it used to be when I first moved here. People are buying houses now that were worth 150,000 4 years ago at 450,000 with all of the same problems an old house brings. I work for a plumbing and hvac company and I can't tell you how many people move here with big dreams and high hopes of a cheap cost of living only to find out their house they purchased has a lot of issues like cast iron piping that will cost 40,000 to replace. So keep that in mind before you buy a house without seeing it on site. ALSO THE WAGES ARE LOW, here if you make $16 an hour that is considered a good job so keep that in mind. A lot of people try to work for Duke University but they are very picky and it is extremely hard to get a job with them unless you know someone. As far as activities Durham can be fun, but it helps to know people who grew up here or else you will find yourself isolated. Durham is not welcoming to people who come from other states, the reason being the city is growing too fast and the wealthy are pushing out people who have been here their whole lives. If you come from NY or NJ be prepared to be treated like an outsider unless you have family or a tight circle of friends that grew up here. There are things to do with in the triangle, the food to me is not as hyped up as they make it. It is actually very difficult to find healthy food here, most of it is fried so I recommend you know how to cook or else you risk gaining weight if you eat out all the time. The best part of living here for me so far has been exploring the areas around durham and the museums that are in the area and the mountains/beaches. It's by no means a bad place to live, but keep in mind we are in the bible belt and that mentality will determine who you hang with. People don't separate christian beliefs at work or anywhere so you will know people who go to church every Sunday. The work ethic here is not relaxed, people work very hard but the work life balance is bad. I've had three jobs and I get called on weekends to work, I've had bosses drive to my house on my off days. There is no barrier between business and friendships so if you come here as an anti-social person it will be hard for you. I'm pretty charming so I can make friends easily however if you struggle with that this is not the place. People in Durham are much nicer than Raleigh or Cary, but keep in mind they don't like when people move here. If you come from anywhere else it might be a culture shock but with that being said in 10 years I think all of that "no outsider" type stuff will end, the city is growing buying a property is worth it and the education is good for kids. This city is not for everyone, there is a lot of good and a lot of bad. You can make a life work here, you need to find the right job to do it though.
Jade | Durham, NC