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from nnj...born/raised there, moved to nc in 1996. the only thing i truly miss is my family (they are all still up there). if i still wanted to live in nnj & own a home, i could never have afforded the prop. taxes...and probably would have ended up living in pa. here in nc, we can afford to live on one salary while i continue my education. living on 1 salary means we dont have a ton of money left over for entertainment, but beyond movies & small concerts/shows, its not something we miss from our living in nnj time.
its a minor inconvenience that we live (in hillsborough) 2.5 hours from the beach but it makes for great long weekend trips.
ultimately, our lives in nnj were very different from what our lives are like now. while living in nnj, we werent married, no kids/house/pets, etc. etc. we didnt have alot of responsibilities other than jobs & my family (dh's entire family lives in europe). would we have been happy enough in nc before all that stuff? perhaps not..our lives filled up after we moved to nc, so our perspective/life might not be the same as yours.
I grew up in LI then moved to Closter when I was 15. Lived in Garfield, then out western NJ then Central. We miss family but we moved for many reasons as rougesman said. We moved with our daughter who was only 1 1/2 at the time. For singles, I can't comment too much. There is a night life here but it's on a smaller scale than NJ or NYC would be. You have to come knowing it's different, which for us was good. We wanted the pace to be a little slower, people nicer etc. Make a few trips down. Drive around. Unless you live in downtown everything else is surburban. Which again, not bad just depends what you are looking for.
Thank you both so much. We have an 18 month old, and another on the way. The only "worry" we have about wherever we move, coming from NNJ is variety. By variety I mean restaurants and things to do. We are somewhat spoiled in terms of the beach, NYC, etc, very close. However, these things at our fingertips are often outweighed by the damage of a VERY high cost of living here.
Ultimately, we're looking for a great place to raise our kids, with a lower cost of living, and lots to do for them. I like what I hear about that area due to the youth/college scene (keeps things moving and "new")
How do you find it compares price-wise to NJ? Better? I "hear" mixed things, so that's why I'm asking! Thank you so much!
I'm not from Northern NJ but I grew up in Monmouth County "at the shore". You should come for a visit and see if the area suits you. The Triangle is HUGE so different parts have different feels to it. There are rural parts, suburban parts, and urban parts. The urban parts are more on the scale of the typical small southern city that is busy during the work hours on weekdays and nights on weekends, but relatively quiet on weekday nights. The suburbs are much like the suburbs anywhere else. Lots of housign options from those for the uber rich to those on a shoestring budget. Thereis a decent foodie scene in Durham and Chapel Hill and it spills over into Raleigh IMO. While we have our fair share of chains there are plenty of independent restaurants with a wide variety of offerings.
The big difference from NJ is that housing is much more affordable. $165K puts you into the entry level housing market. The same can't be said for NJ. Once you get into the low $200's here your options really open up. From there you can spend as much as your wallet allows as there are pricey areas to live here too like Inside the Beltline (ITB) in Raleigh. This is where a lot of more established and the older historic homes are located closer to downtown. Things there typically start in the low 300's and work there way up to the millions. Chapel Hill is the most expensive area to live pound for pound. Raleigh and Durham have a mix of price ranges. There are countless bedroom communities in the Triangle too like Cary, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, and Apex.
The area is very family oriented, but if you are single there is plenty to do. It just takes a little more digging than if you lived in a bigger NE metro area.
Like I said, for the most part housing is cheaper than NJ, property taxes are cheaper too (I pay $1,400 on a house worth ~ $165K). Car insurance is cheaper as well. You do pay an annual car tax, but it varies in cost depending how much your car is worth. Mine are old and only get taxed $35 bucks a year. My car insurance for two cars is less than $100 a month. Again, if you have newer cars it will be more expensive, but I find automobile costs to be much lower than what I paid in NJ.
What kind of stuff are you looking for? What is it you like to do and want to be close to? Your biggest focus before moving here will probably be on the job front. This is a very popular area with people moving here every day. Competition for some job fields is fierce. Good luck!
Last edited by North_Raleigh_Guy; 02-10-2010 at 01:29 PM..
I grew up in NJ, went to college there then moved to NC about 30 years ago. We're definitely in NC by choice and I would think its especially true if you're raising a family.
I've been in NYC/Bergen County on business the last three weeks and the City and surrounding areas certainly have attractions but, for me at least, as a destination - not really as a place to live.
I have to admit it is fun watching the NY Sanitation department plowing Lexington Ave ...
As NRG says, visit the area first ... don't let variables like the weather on your visit play too big a role. Just know that summers will be longer with more humidity and winters generally milder
Frank
If you do decide to move, make sure you budget enough money to return home once or twice a year. That will stave off homesickness and enable you to stay connected to those you love and who love you.
I don't think you can get that. You'll find people who love it, others who don't and everyone in between. You can find unbiased facts and demographic information, but the opinions will vary greatly - and they've all been influenced by where they came from, what their expectations were and how long they have been here.
North Raleigh Guy is right on the money with what he said. We love it here for the kid friendly area it is! If you are open minded and social you'll be fine. A friend of mine still in NJ is not and still has the stand offish attitude I was tried of. She could not bear to leave the NYC area ( even though she never visits! lol) She has the typical vision of what she thinks the South is and is not open to new things.
As far as variety,I think it's here! Raleigh has some museums, shops, places to eat, shows to see etc. Durham has a new arts center, places to eat all over. Some are chain some are local mom and pop types. Summers to me are the same. I had many a humid summer during my 19 years in NJ. July and August are the warmest but even my parents who still live in Toms River will have similar temps as well. Great spring and Fall! Usually mild winters...lol I say that since this one was COLD! We had some 20 degree nights and only highs in the 30's which is a first for me here. My previous winters down here have been great. One or two days of snow and done! Still as we did, you need to spend a long weekend and really drive around to see for yourself
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i am originally
