Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill NC

[cogneuroforfun]

Thank you very much for that gadhelyn. That's exactly the kind of thing I've been looking for, as Duke is my top choice and I'm off to an interview there soon!

My main question is about transportation and housing. If I lived around Morrisville / the 540 and 70 icon on the map, what kind of drive am I looking at to get to Duke during rush hour or slightly off rush hour? Is it at all feasible to use public transit to take that route every day? How bad would the traffic be from northern Cary to Duke? It looks like much of that trip would be on smaller highways/streets, so is that going to be pretty obnoxious to do twice a day?

It looks like probably Morrisville would be a great area (both from my own research and your recommendations), but I don't want to do too ridiculous of a commute. Are there many town houses / condos in this area? I don't really want to do an apartment in grad school, but I don't think I'll have the finances necessary for a house for a couple years.

[gadhelyn]

There are lots of apartments, condos, and townhouses here in Morrisville. My commute to UNC-CH requires me to go to a park and ride a few miles from 40 and overall takes me about 40 mins one direction. The regional mass transit is really underbuilt. 40 gets bad after about 8 AM.

[Rutabaga]

Would you say it's possible to live in Chapel Hill without a car?

Also, what is the job market like there? I'm hoping to move with my significant other and I'd love if there were actually jobs for him!

[gadhelyn]

I wouldn't know much about the job market, my job was promised to me before graduation.

Chapel Hill without a car is doable but not fun. Our newest med fellow is from Italy and until recently she was car-less. She couldn't get to a lot of good restaurants, the airport took all day, groceries were exhausting. While there is a good bus system in Chapel Hill, it's only really useful if you're wanting to get to campus. It's mostly an all-roads-lead-to-UNC deal. If you wanted to go to North Chapel Hill and you were in Meadowmont, you'd have to take the S or the V to campus then catch an NS or a D.

In short: bring a car.

[Rutabaga]

hmn. I don't have a license at the moment (never needed one). Maybe it's worth considering then.

[presquepartout]

So, UNC has been my only admit (and only school I've heard back from so far), and I've been trying to get a feel for the area. It seems to me that Carrboro is a pretty cool place to live. I'd much rather no bring my car down with me, but from I've gathered, having a car in the area is pretty essential.

What is the scene like in Carrboro/Chapel Hill area? Is there much of a music scene? What are the people like and is the area very bikeable? Are there any good coffee shops?

[rlm8746]

hi everybody! i guess this post will be most helpful to the ncsu crowd. i just got back from a weeklong raleigh blitz signing my apartment lease and what not. my impression of the area was this:

campus area- good restaurants, some cool stores but wouldn't want to live there. plenty of stores within walking distance to campus. campus is pretty large.

cary- caters to yuppies with all the typical chain stores/restaurants. apartments are pricier than ones closer to state and include amenities like putting greens and business centers (which i wasn't keen on paying for).

apex/holly springs/fuquay varina/morrisville- these areas are a blend of wisteria lane-esque housing plans, apartment complexes, strip malls, and neighborhoods that look like they've been there forever. i ultimately decided to move to apex because i got a nice 1 bedroom apartment that felt safe and was convenient to shopping etc. the drive to state is about 20 minutes from any of these areas, but i felt like it was a worthwhile trade off. more safety and nicer housing for a bit of a commute.

i made a list of potential apartments using www.aguide.com before i made my trek, which i found to be very helpful. i also made use of craig's list while i was down there to get a pretty awesome couch for $48 (the benefit of living near rich people who have nothing better to do that redecorate their homes twice a year).

couple things to keep in mind- i'm from pennsylvania and normally some utilities are included in the rent here. i did not find that to be the case normally around state. you'll be lucky to get trash included if you go with a managed property. pet deposits and pet rents also caused some sticker shock. there is apparently a property tax for bringing an out of state vehicle in state as well.

good luck!

[oscarwildebeest]

Can anyone offer any advice on what this area is like for queer / LGBT - identified folks? Based on your own or your friends experiences, would you say this an LGBT friendly place? Is there any sort of non-straight dating scene?

[gadhelyn]

Carrboro is bike-friendly, there are coffee shops everywhere, and the Cat's Cradle is one of many musical venues.

People in Carrboro are ex-hippies, much of the student areas of Chapel Hill are liberal neighborhoods (although stay away from Northside, drug area), and it's labeled the Republic of Chapel Hill because it's so different from the rest of the area.

There is the RTP crowd, a bunch of office people and researchers. Unless you live in one of the small towns, outside of Chapel Hill-Carrboro, most people will just leave others alone.

I know in Chapel Hill-Carrboro there's a lot of, how best to put it, sexual freedom. It's been labeled by Gary Birdsong (the "Pit Preacher") as an enclave of evil in which we are all going to Hell because of the HO-MO-SEXUALS! (as he puts it as he randomly points into the crowd with his Bible). But ignore Gary and the other preachers, they're there to drum up discussion and excitement.

[migrationdude]

Woo, sounds fancy. Still can't completely wrap my mind around a Southern progressive enclave, but the Triangle seems amazing. I'm more interested in the social part of gay life -- I'm up in Mass. right now, and over here everyone is super gay-friendly, but I'm miserable because there aren't that many guys to date.

[nocturne]

There are lots of gay people in Raleigh. I am pretty familiar with the area, and there are gay bars, a Pride day, you see lots of gay couples out in restaurants, etc. Some of my good friends who live in Raleigh are gay.

[mentalyoga]

Woo, sounds fancy. Still can't completely wrap my mind around a Southern progressive enclave, but the Triangle seems amazing. I'm more interested in the social part of gay life -- I'm up in Mass. right now, and over here everyone is super gay-friendly, but I'm miserable because there aren't that many guys to date.

I hear that. Chapel Hill is one of my top choice programs, and I've been wondering the same thing. I have a friend who just finished her undergrad at Chapel Hill--she says it's very gay-friendly, though she didn't say much about the dating scene (of course, she's not a gay male). But another friend tells me he's heard some bad things about the area in terms of being gay and feeling 'safe.' But he doesn't go to Chapel Hill, so again, it's only a partial view. I figure I'll visit if I get accepted, and hopefully make a better judgment from that point.

[metrosxualbutch]

Hey there,

I moved to Durham about a year and a half ago from Brooklyn, just to downsize city and upsize cost of living-- I work at UNC and am admitted to the comm program for the fall. I applied to the program and will most likely acecpt over other places (berkeley or NYU) because I LOVE living here. When my ladyfriend was fixing on moving here from brooklyn she said "what will the community be like" and I said "Slow queers on front porches" and while that's a bit of a trope, its spirit is true. The queers I've met have been super kind and focused, lots of queer grad students doing good work, and also the community activism is central, personal and loving in a way opposite of NYC organizing, which, at its worst (and commonly) was splayed, cold, removed, over-visioned and under-impacting (with the exception of some few amazing groups).

Story short-- people meet in houses here, have dinners, are used to transient new people. many people stay, there's good economy, decent food, lots of trees, and time to spend with the community you make.

that's my pitch. Come on down!

[epsil119]

I am finishing up undergrad at Chapel Hill right now. In my opinion, Chapel Hill does get boring after four years because there's only so much to do on Franklin St. If anyone has any questions feel free to PM me.

[pizzatime]

Does anyone have a sense of the current job market in the area? (I realize that it sucks most places right now.) I was admitted at Duke and my gf would be looking for elementary teaching jobs, and her securing a job is obviously a huge part of our decisison. thanks!

[gadhelyn]

Does anyone have a sense of the current job market in the area? (I realize that it sucks most places right now.) I was admitted at Duke and my gf would be looking for elementary teaching jobs, and her securing a job is obviously a huge part of our decisison. thanks!

She might want to look in Durham and Orange counties, I know Wake county has a hiring freeze right now (for school positions, that is).

[Carolina08]

Can anyone offer any advice on what this area is like for queer / LGBT - identified folks? Based on your own or your friends experiences, would you say this an LGBT friendly place? Is there any sort of non-straight dating scene?

There is a saying around here. The gay guys are in raleigh, the Lesbians in Durham, & the families in Chapel Hill. I've been here for going on 4 years now and am extremely active in the lgbt scene although mostly as non-profit board member. Though I myself am a lesbian I think I have enough close gay male friends to speak to their experiences a little.

First of Chapel Hill/Carrboro. This is the most liberal of the entire area. The town is small but its very progressive. We have had gay mayors, council members, and we passed non-discrimination in public schools in 1996. You can also register as domestic partners in both towns though the rest of the state won't recognize it. Take one walk down the street and you are bound to see guys or girls for that matter holding hands, cuddled up on a bunch, and generally being open about who they are with. The Carrboro side is even more progressive and this is where you will generally find most grad students. If you are in town check out the local lesbian owned bar/restaurant Spotted Dog. For the T's in LGBT Carrboro appears to be pretty welcoming. My partner and have regularly seen trans women working at local businesses and thats just the ones we can read. There is a non-discrimination ordinance on trans issues as well though. You won't find specific gay spots outside of the occasional special night at a bar, but everything is pretty well integrated. Imagine a town where you are just part of the community instead of having a special section of town, club, or bar that is gay. Now the down side of Chapel Hill & Carrboro is that its pretty small. You'll probably want to venture out into Raleigh or Durham for a social life thats not connected to the university. Just a note of interest. I study LGBT history & I have found references to Chapel Hill being quote the gayest place between DC & Atlanta dating back to the mid to early 60's.

Durham: This is likely the 2nd most liberal. Generally speaking the down town is pretty friendly but be careful at night. The city has problems with gangs and violence. Duke campus & 9th street are the places to see. The state Pride and gay & Lesbian film festival are held here every year and usually attract people from al over state along with Virginia & South Carolina. The city government from what I've seen is pretty friendly. We always see local politicians at Pride trying to garner the gay vote. Outside of that check out Steel Blue, which is one of the largest gay bars in the state and Drag bingo at the Durham armory.

Raleigh: This is the least progressive but its still pretty liberal compared to the rest of the state and downtown has an unofficial gay district. Places to see while you are in town: Check out West Martin St & West Hargett. Around this area you will find gay owned shops, the gay book store, 4 gay bars (2 are connected and turn into one late at night), and many other generally gay or gay friendly places. I suggest checking out the book shop first (White rabbit) and asking them what is going on that week or what you should check out. Also in Raleigh, the Crab Tree mall always has a plethora of gay boys looking to meet somebody (I know I got dragged along with guy friends a lot) & check out Glenwood Ave where it meets downtown for integrated gay friendly places. Other than that Raleigh hosts the Crape Myrtle Festival (a huge gay fundraiser usually with big name performers) & AIDS walk in Ride every year.

Generally speaking the area is friendly though some parts of the triangle are more than others. There are always events happening in addition to those I mentioned above you just have to get out there and look around to find the info. The state as a whole is generally moderate compared to the rest of the south. Democrats usually control both houses & the Governors seat. Because the state is pretty conservative don't expect them to pass pro-gay legislation, but they do put a stop to ant-gay measures. We are the only southern state to have defeated every anti-marriage bill that crosses congress floors though it is up again this year for the 5th consecutive year.

Hope this helps. It really is a great place to live if you are going to be in the South. I'm from Pennsylvania but I would be more than happy spending the rest of my life in Chapel Hill.

[presquepartout]

How much does it cost to live in the Chapel Hill area? Say for a one bedroom, rent + utilities? And do many UNC grad students live together, even in their first year?

[waywardkate]

Where do the quiet graduate students live? If I decide to come to Chapel Hill I'd like to rent an apartment, and I was looking at Cosgrove Hill but it's a bit far away from campus as I'd like to be able to bike easily. Where can I find other apartments like it that are a bit closer to the campus and aren't more expensive? I also found Glen Lennox but am concerned that it might be noisy with a lot of parties. I'd like to live somewhere quiet and clean; it doesn't have to be brand new. Resources for finding apartments would be helpful as well.

[Carolina08]

Where do the quiet graduate students live? If I decide to come to Chapel Hill I'd like to rent an apartment, and I was looking at Cosgrove Hill but it's a bit far away from campus as I'd like to be able to bike easily. Where can I find other apartments like it that are a bit closer to the campus and aren't more expensive? I also found Glen Lennox but am concerned that it might be noisy with a lot of parties. I'd like to live somewhere quiet and clean; it doesn't have to be brand new. Resources for finding apartments would be helpful as well.

I would steer clear of Glen Lennox. A) It's not the nicest area and from what I'm told can get pretty loud. If you plan to bike remember Chapel Hill is an appropriate name. From Geln Lennox the hill to campus is pretty long & steep. Even in coming home downhill traffic on that road is dangerous. That said remember the bus system in Chapel Hill is nice & Free. If you want to have a bike on campus I suggest putting it on the rack on the front the buses and taking it with you.

Now as for Grad students in general, most live in Carrboro the more cultured and less rowdy side of town. There are plenty of Condos, Coops, Townhomes, & Apts here to rent. The town has an amazing music, food, & art scene all within walking distance which is why it is known as the Paris of the Piedmont. Remembering that buses are frequent and free try checking out the Villages in Carrboro for a cheaper apartment on the quite side. Want something a little nicer? Check out 56 Magnolia in Chapel Hill. Even nicer? Try Meadowmont or Southern Village. Other than that checkout Craigslist and other sites for housing in the area. There are many huge houses that have been divided up by grad students to afford the rent. Also you might check out apartments just across the border into Durham county. Chapel Hill actually spans 3 counties and Durham is only maybe 5 mins away from campus at points. Here you will find a lot more housing for your money but may have a small commute.

Break down:

Shared Apt / Condo or Coop: $250-350

Single Apt / Condo: $500-1050

Double Apt: $650-$1200

Student Family Housing: $825-930 (utilities included)

Single Grad Student Housing: around $2700 per semester

[mtlve]

Does anyone have a sense of the current job market in the area? (I realize that it sucks most places right now.) I was admitted at Duke and my gf would be looking for elementary teaching jobs, and her securing a job is obviously a huge part of our decisison. thanks!

I am a 1st year at Duke. The significant others of my classmates all easily found jobs. One of them works in an elementary school, but they are not a teacher. We hope to see you at Duke. Good luck deciding.

[scintille]

What's parking like in Chapel Hill/on campus?

[Carolina08]

What's parking like in Chapel Hill/on campus?

Parking in Chapel Hill? Um, non-existent. If you are a grad student living on campus you get a guaranteed space,, but it is only good at your house no where else. As for the rest of the town there are meters & parking decks everywhere but expect to pay well to use them. Nearby Carrboro however has free parking everywhere. Only downtown Chapel Hill & campus is tight. On the bright side Chapel Hill / Carrboro has a great public transportation systems and its completely free. Most anywhere you want to go in town has a bus coming by every 10-20 minutes. Because of this however UNC will not give you a parking permit on campus if you live off campus within range of the public transportation system.

Seriously though you can get by on the buses. I only use my car if I'm going to the grocery store or going out of town.

[mariposa]

I'm considering going to Duke, and I am curious about public school systems in the Raleigh/Durham area. I have a child who will be starting kindergarten in another year. I'm not looking for a preppy school, or even the best of the best. Any recommendations from those who have done this kind of research?

[presquepartout]

So, say I was going to live in Carborro; it would be pretty easy to store a car in the area and use my bicycle and public transportation to get everywhere? I think someone said the are was hilly? How hilly exactly? I live on the side of a mountain right now, so I feel like I can deal with anything not along the Rockies...

Also, what's the hetero social life like? Someone implicated that the lgbt scene was decent, but that doesn't really tickle my fancy, if you catch my drift. Is there much interaction between grad student of different departments at Chapel Hill?