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Lived there for 12 years in the Winston-Salem area. Very clickish. Very snobbish. Found it difficult to make friends. Overall I encountered more rude people there than I have in any other state I've visited in my entire 51 years of life. The people there tend to be extremely aggressive and judgemental. Then I moved to Mt. Airy. Lived there for 2 years, and there I found the the extremes went from religious zealots to perverts, and I'm not kidding. Then I moved to Welcome, NC. This little hole in the wall, where I lived in a gorgeous neighborhood really took the prize for being the ABSOLUTE worst. The neighbors were more like a clan than a neighborhood, clearly HATED outsiders. They drove through our front yard, tried to dig up our bushes, scared our dogs so much we couldn't let them out into our fenced backyard, made noise all night every night. They were the epitomy of 'rednecks".
You will notice a distinct difference in traffic the instant you cross any stateline....NC drivers are the WORST for dangerous tailgaiting and dangerous, aggressive road rage I've ever seen.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that the air quality there is nearly as bad or worse than Los Angeles? AGain, I'm not kidding. If you're not sensitive to it, then you might be ok, but if you are, expect daily headaches about 4 pm every afternoon lasting til 9ish, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. Don't expect to be able to get outdoors and walk, jog or bike very often....if the freaks don't bother you, the heat and air pollution will about kill you.
Oh, and one more thing....it's gray a lot there, especially in the summer. The skies are so polluted that they are not usually blue.
Now, I want to clarify that I am speaking of the TRIAD area, not the beaches, and not beautiful Asheville. It's sad to me that Asheville and the beaches have to be brought down by the rest of the state, which is really, truly horrible.
I know a lot of people will get all mean and aggressive here about my honesty in my living experiences here, and that will just go to prove what I've said, people ARE aggressive, mean and judgmental in NC. And they're proud of it, too. Don't tell me to move if I don't like it because I ALREADY DID AND BOY AM I EVER GLAD!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I'd never spent as much time there as I did, and in retrospect I would have NEVER EVER EVER moved there to begin with. I wish someone had told me all I've just told you here, and I wish I'd listened. My opinion of the state as a whole: huge thumbs down.
Are there any places that would only be about an hour to the ocean?? That was the main reason we were going to move to Florida. We are visiting in December to possibly look at homes so timely responses would be super. Thanks for your time.
If you are looking for solely places close to the coast, the Coastal NC forum is a better place for more specific assistance.
I am not in North Carolina now (graduate school up north) but lived there a good half of my life. Hopefully there will be a permanent return or at least a 2nd home i can have there.
Putting aside about the 2011 Economy and difficulty finding work, I think North Carolina is tailored to most people's lifestyles. If you are a fast paced person, need city life and 24h atmosphere, even Charlotte... the state's largest city may not be enough for you. From my experience, i can tell you the following;
Western North Carolina, west of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Starting in the northwest corner of the state is overall a big tourist area with lots of second home mountain cabins. If it's not winter, the mountains are flooded with tourists whether its beating the heat, checking the foliage or just getting away. You have Appalachian State and Lees McRae for entertainment venues for the arts. Overall cost of living is actually pretty much in Watagua & Avery County but better in Ashe and Allegheny counties. A handful of people move to the Tennessee border for cheaper living but close the NC High Country. Weather is similar to what one would expect in central & northern New England for the most part. Not a lot of snow but very windy and the winters last a little bit longer than the rest of the state. Alcohol is beginning to be more accepted in the business community since Boone was a dry town for a long time. This is however, the most unfriendliest part of the state where North Carolinians from elsewhere find it to be rough around the edges. However, once you are friends with a native in the mountains, you are friends for life. Infact, i have formed better friendships there than I have in other parts of the state.
Towns between Newland and Burnsville are very local in nature, not a lot of people move there. But is cheaper to live there but don't expect a lot in the way of venues. People there like NW NC are very clannish and making a friend won't always be easy. Travel to Boone and Asheville won't take you long but you'll always be on two-lane roadways until at least you hit US 321 to the north/east, I-26 to the west and I-40 to the south.
Heading towards Asheville and Hendersonville is a big retirement area. It's becoming a Florida North community of many retirees becoming "halfbacks" there (and the rest of the mountains as well). Traffic is horrendous on I-26 between Asheville and the US 25 cut off south of Hendersonville. Real estate gets more expensive and like the rest of the mountains, there is limited land to build on.
The communities along the Great Smokey Mountain Expressway (Waynesville, Sylva, Maggie Valley) provide cheaper living and the lifeline of the area is the GSME connecting you to Asheville.
Further west beyond Cullowhee, Andrews and into Murphy gets really deep into southern Appalachia. Only those who want true mountain living make it out there. At least you are closer to Chattanooga and Atlanta (1.5-2 hour) drive though where Asheville is not that close anymore.
Next post when i have the energy, i will write about the Foothills and then progress eastward.
Tell ya the truth, once I cross the NC stateline traveling south, I take a big sigh knowing the rat race 3-4 hours north is far far away...a distant memory.
Hello - I have lived all over the US - MD, FL, WA, CA and now NC in Raleigh. Before living here I had heard good things about the state scenery, cost of living and decent weather. We moved to Raleigh so my SO could finish his degree at State. Here is my opinion of the pros and cons of living in Raleigh:
Pros:
It's a very unique mixture of urban and rural settings.
Lots of trees and grass.
If a repeat customer people get to know you/remember you when out and about.
They are very enthusiastic about their college sports even if they did not attend the school.
The further you are away from Raleigh the cheaper the housing becomes but then you have to commute so?
Cons:
The drivers are horrible here. Run lights, tailgate, constantly on cell phones - been hit 4 times in 1 year.
The police are on a quota system; more tickets = better performance ratings for them.
Employers here don't pay much.
Tons of transplants from NY - maybe reason for rude drivers?
Bugs (Stinging ants, deer ticks, etc) are horrible.
Grocery stores are kind of a joke - they run out of produce/don't restock it when it has run out.
Hardly anything is open (even some gas stations) on Christmas day - so be prepared ahead of time.
Prices in grocery stores are pretty high with the exception of beer on sale - cheers.
Public transportation is a joke.
The road system was not developed on a grid system so the navigating the streets is challenging.
The Outer Banks crowd are pretty pompas and they have helped to raise the taxes on the locals living there.
We are looking to move as soon as my SO graduates and look forward to Raleigh in the rear view.
Hardly anything is open (even some gas stations) on Christmas day
This one certainly is not an NC-specific bullet point. And even if it were, how hard is it to plan around one day when stores are closed? Most places are also closed on Thanksgiving Day--again, not just an NC thing--but even if you aren't doing anything for Thanksgiving, it should not be a big deal to go a day early or late to whatever you need to do. Not as if it is catching you off guard?
I know how you feel lived here for 15 years and I'll will be moving away from apex. NC Southerners are very rude. Good luck to your move.
It's honestly not the natives. Unless you run across some who are frustrated with transplants. I know those exist.
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Well I have enjoyed it for .......
I hate NC
