How's life in Raleigh Durham?

I am wonder how it is to live in the Raleigh Durham area?

My UK job is being eliminated and I am considering returning to the US rather than being unemployed in the UK with its high cost of living.

I have a phone interview for a position in the Triangle Park area later today. I've only lived in California (SF and LA) but would not mind a slower pace of life and 'greener' surroundings.

Please share your experience. Thank you!

ES

Hi,

I lived in Raleigh Durham for about 15 years (teens and early 20s) and my parents still live there. I don't know where in the UK you are now but if you compare it to LA or SF you'll find it a much smaller city in more ways than one. It certainly sprawls like LA and you couldn't survive without a car.

Plus side: lots of greenery, a slower pace to life, more diversity than much of the rest of the south because it attracts people for work and study from all over the country and the world, relatively safe.

Personally I wouldn't want to live there at this point in my life because I found it too slow, a bit too closed off and there was less in the way of cultural activity than I'd personally like in a city but then, I'm used to living in cities like London and New York. It's a great place to raise a family and it's always ranked as one of the best cities for young singles (although I personally didn't see it when I was a "young single" myself).

Nearby Chapel Hill is a great place for live music, the restaurant scene has improved (a few years ago, Thai food would have been considered "exotice") and every time I go back to visit my parents I see the results of a huge project to regenerate the city center (which used to be a dead zone at night).

Meant to add that when I say city center, I'm referring to Raleigh. Durham city center is much sketchier and you'll find the Durham side a bit run-down outside of the beautiful campus of Duke University. Of course, it's been a couple of years since I've been to Durham as my parents live in Raleigh so things may have improved.

I lived in  Durham from 1984-2000.  Met my UK husband when he came to Duke. I worked in Chapel Hill.

I miss it.  In some ways, it was a better 'foodie' place than Orange County California (where we lived the next 6 years.) but only because we lived near Duke and there were a couple of interesting grocery options, one of which had a British Soul Food aisle, though for the life of me I can't remember the name.  They also sold loose tea which my husband thought was better than anything we could get at the American grocery.   There was far more available in a smaller radius, I've missed that.

It's easy to live a very outdoor lifestyle, you are equidistant from the beach and the mountains, and locally there are plenty of state parks with hiking trails.  But, you will need a car, public transport is minimal.  It's possible to live and work carless in Chapel Hill. b/c of the high student population and small area they have a somewhat better bus system, but you will need a car to go anywhere else!