Durham, North Carolina

Hog_enthusiast
Living in Durham
1y ago
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Durham is basically the third bed in Goldilocks and the three bears. Not too hot, not too cold. Not too boring not too exciting. It’s a very medium city. If you want to live in a metropolis you won’t like it here, if you want to live in a rural area you also won’t like it.

Some things people get wrong: it isn’t Raleigh. Raleigh is a different city although it is very close by. It isn’t a college town either. The college has a big presence but it isn’t even close to a town like Boone. Durham also isn’t as dangerous as people say (cue the downvotes from HOA members). Basically no city in America is actually dangerous for middle class people. If you live in Durham in a nice area and you lock your car/house and act with common sense, you probably will never be the victim of any crime. Also I know everyone thinks their city has bad drivers, but Durham drivers are actually very good.

Durham is basically a great city for every group of people except single people in their early 20s who like to go to clubs. Other than that it’s got something for everyone, it’s a great city to raise kids or be a married couple. There’s plenty of hiking, shopping, restaurants etc. There’s even a variety of architecture and neighborhoods. You want to buy a mid-century modern house in the woods, buy in Duke forest. You want a McMansion, buy in Garrett Farms. You want a classic mansion buy in hope valley. You want a city house buy in watts hillandale.

Overall it’s a great city to live in. Not super exciting to visit. Great for tech employees (I am one). What are you into and what do you want in a city is the real question

Kat9935
1y ago
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Durham has a good quality of life for the size of city it is. Its going thru some growing pains, definitely lacks public infrastructure, but its also exciting to see a city change so quickly as it grows. The other thing is you have to realize Durham, Cary, Morrisville, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Wake Forest, etc all just run together in a large Metro area so you may end up living adjacent though Durham has the best food scene. Its all within 30-40 minutes.

Weather for me is great (minus the humidity in July/August). I still get a bit of all seasons but I hate winter so 1 snow fall a year is good with me.

Education, I don't have kids but my friends say it all depends on if parents are engaged, they will do well.

Safety, its a city, there is crime, it tends to be very localized (just dont go to those isolated locations) or opportunity based (ie dont leave your ipad visible and your doors unlocked as they will open the door and walk away with it) I have never felt unsafe in Durham.

Water is fine, have never seen anything on a quality report. Due to growth in the city, 2-3 times a year in our area someone damages a line so water is yellow for a few hours as they flush the lines and thats about it.

I recommend you visit the area before you move, thats actually what sold us on it. A Recreation is outstanding, Duke Forest, Eno, Falls Lake, Umstead for outdoor hiking, biking, kayaking, etc. Lots of venues for concerts & plays & events. Great microbreweries and a few distilleries, meaderies and wineries. A good public park/rec which provides free activities for kids, good library system, etc. Several really good museums in the area. I think you get a lot of bang for buck here and you are not paying ridiculous parking fees downtown like places like Charlotte.

StrengthComplex194
1y ago
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Very new to the area from a much bigger city- here are some of my hot takes that nobody really asked for…

-someone mentioned "manageability" of life. Definitelty agree. Easy to find parking spots, no real traffic (horrible drivers though), airport is incredible and only 15-25 mins from the city depending on neighborhood. Convienence.

I hear a ton of gunshots super late at night. Pretty troublesome, but also dont really fear being a victim of random crime like in a place like Philly/Bmore etc.

almost zero walkability minus a few blocks downtown. Need a car. Didnt realize it was that extreme before moving here.

besides rent/housing and dining out being expensive, other goods/groceries/haircuts etc seem to be decently priced. There are some great mexican groceries with cheap produce and nice shopping atmosphere.

-lots of people seem to hype up the food scene. Admittidly havent been to a ton of places but those I have tried (a good amnt) are definitely decent or even really good but for price and hype wouldnt hold a candle to any restaurants or food trucks in places like Philly/NJ/LA/Portland etc. I personally love Viceroy and Sofia's and there are definitely other good ones.

Werd2urGrandma
7mo ago
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I’ve lived in 7 places, in every continental US time zone, in big cities and tiny rural ranches. I’m fortunate to have resources to make my wife and I comfortable everywhere we’ve lived. And I can say, without equivocation, that Durham is my favorite place I’ve lived. It’s the perfect size (even while it’s growing), it’s full of culture and great food, it’s diverse, progressive, and has something for every season. The location allows us to leave to cities, mountains, and beaches with ease, but everything and everyone we love here has us always yearning to come home. I can see Broadway shows, major touring artists, and high-level sports, but I can also get a taste of some uniquely Durham art, music, and cultural diversity. It’s an historical place without being stuck in historical ways. And the real kicker: it looks like America, and that’s what the haters don’t like—a racially diverse and culturally mixed place. People can be who they are here. I’m just a redneck, cisgendered hetero white guy and Durham is anything but and I love it.

Top 5 BEST Neighborhoods in Durham North Carolina!!