Durham, North Carolina

Pros/Cons of living in Durham?

First, Durham is a wonderful place but it is not Portland, Seattle, nor San Francisco. Coming here with those as points of reference will surely leave you disappointed. Durham is a relatively young city (post Civil War) that started off as railway stop and later a hub for cigarette manufacturing and tobacco wholesaling. It has no grid system and is mostly designed for travel by automobile. There is a more a bike culture in the downtown area and countryside but the suburbs and their thoroughfares are a death wish. Durham has lots of wonderful restaurants at a variety of price ranges though ethnic food may be more sparse. Durham's demographics have a lot to do with the city's culture (~44% Black, ~44% White, the remainder Hispanic/Asian, etc) and with lots of restaurants/farmer's market's catering to the Southern palette. If you want fresh fish, move closer to the beach. There are lots of hiking trails (I am forester), swimming holes, and rivers to canoe/kayak. Also, if you do decide to move here (Welcome!) please do not complain about 'how Durham doesn't have insert noun here' because most residents are sick of hearing it.

Best and worst parts about living in Durham?
I LOVED living in Durham. Especially when I worked in Wake Forest. It was a straight shot down 98. I ended up moving back to WF/N Raleigh line when I got a job further in north Raleigh. I lived on the border of Lakewood/Maplewood and I loved it. I was off Chapel Hill rd and while my apt was awful the location was great. 5 min to downtown/Brightleaf and I very much frequented Durty Bull brewery, Motorco, Accordion Club, Geer St, James Joyce, Devines, & the Social. Made an occasional appearance at the Green Room too. The social atmosphere is a world away from downtown Raleigh where everyone’s concerned with your job and status. In Durham it’s far more intellectual. I always felt like the people I met in Durham were far more genuine. Plus the food is awesome.

Are people friendly in Durham, NC?

We are grandparents who moved to Durham from Maryland about three years ago to be near grandchildren. We find the people to be very friendly!

Everywhere we go, whether to doctor’s offices, restaurants, shopping centers, etc., we are greeted warmly by people who provide services. Even more interesting is that people who pass us by almost always acknowledge us with a smile and a friendly greeting. Striking up a conversation with a stranger is a common occurrence.

There is a broad mix of races here in Durham—white, black, Indian, Asian—and all seem to blend together with kindness and respect.

Living in Durham has been a most pleasant experience and we expect it to remain so.

What are some of the pros and cons of living in Raleigh-Durham area? I am thinking about moving with my family from Los Angeles, CA and work in healthcare.

I have lived in NC, KY, OH and FL personally. I have visited California, but only in short busts. Some of the other answers are really good. I left the north to escape winter, and had moved to Florida. After dealing with all that entails living in Florida, my wife and I moved to the Triangle area.

I will say that I absolutely LOVE living in this area. There is a lot to do, that were mentioned in all of the other posts. Some of the things I will mention are just my observations. There are jerks everywhere, and this area is no exception. Having said that, they are few and far between. You really get an understanding for the term “Southern Hospitality”. It was a little off putting when I first moved here. Only because everywhere I had lived, especially Florida, if someone is being nice to you, they are setting you up or have an motive. For the most part, everybody is really polite, and usually quite charming. Even though people here complain about it, but the traffic here is really manageable. I’ve driven in L.A., and San Francisco, New York, Miami, and many other major cities. This is a walk in the park. Things aren’t as fast paced here. There are times you will have to just lean back and realize that certain things are done differently. I’ve had people in the past say that I am calling the people here lazy. I am not saying that at all. I’ve met some of the hardest working individuals here. What I mean by it, is that there is a mentality that there’s more to life than the hustle and bustle of work. It has actually made me a better person living here.

This isn’t a Con for the area, but something you might want to prepare for here. You are in the South. You are in an area that is considered part of the “Bible Belt”. Especially among people who are originally from here and older people, but church is very important here. Once again, I am not stressing this as a con. I feel I am quite spiritual myself.

Top 5 BEST Neighborhoods in Durham North Carolina!!