The DU Lounge
In reply to the discussion: Hey retired DUers...any retirement location recommendations? [View all]mnhtnbb
(31,384 posts)Last edited Thu Jan 2, 2020, 10:53 AM - Edit history (1)
Yes, it is a purple state and there are parts that are deep red, but there are also very blue areas. I lived in Chapel Hill, home of UNC flagship campus, for 17 years and loved it. There are small towns like Hillsborough and Pittsboro only 20-30 minutes from Chapel Hill with less expensive housing. Durham, home of Duke University, is very blue. Raleigh( I now live in a high rise downtown apartment where I can walk to everything) is blue and home to NC State and several small private colleges. Someone upthread already mentioned Asheville, in the mountains, which is very blue. Parts of Charlotte are blue. And parts of Wilmington, on the coast, are blue, but frankly, I'd stay away from owning property at the coast because of the high probability of hurricane hits.
NC does not tax Social Security, which is a help if you are that age. I recently made the decision to stay in downtown Raleigh. I had been considering moving abroad, or back to Chapel Hill, or even out of state if I could find a city with cultural amenities that I have here without harsh winters that had a view of water and wouldn't have a higher cost of living. My research did not yield a better alternative to where I am now. I only lack the water view, but I do have a spectacular city view from my apartment on the 17th floor. Witness the sunrise from my balcony this morning not long after I wrote this post:
If you decide to come take a look at NC, let me know. I'd be happy to get together to answer any questions you might have about living here.
On edit: I was born in NYC, grew up in northern NJ, lived in southern CA for 23 years, and spent 6 years each in St. Joseph, MO and Lincoln, NE before moving to Chapel Hill in 2000. I wouldn't live in any of the states where I have previously resided--including CA--and as a Yankee never thought I could live in the south. There are a lot of northeast transplants here in the Triangle area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill), but it still has a vibe of southern hospitality.