The Triangle, briefly explained
This information is not backed by data or scientifically proven. I also don’t consider it fake news. It’s just one transplant’s personal opinion of — and experience in — the area. (Although I’m usually right, just ask my husband.)
Thinking of exploring the Triangle as a new home? Congratulations! You’re just like 7 out of 10 New Yorkers who don’t believe rainbow bagels are a reason to live in the most expensive city in the world. When you inevitably come down south to sniff around and see if you could imagine yourself living here, use this as a bit of a starter guide to what’s what, where.
The Triangle is called the Triangle because if you drew lines from Raleigh to Durham to Chapel Hill and back again, you’d make up just that — with Research Triangle Park (and RDU airport) sitting smack in the center of it all. What the Triangle term no longer accounts for is the incredible sprawl that has occurred here, now taking Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Wake Forest, Holly Springs and more under its wings as the “expanded-to-more-like-an-octagon-Triangle region.” But regardless of algebra, if you’re talking about the Triangle, you’re likely talking about all of the above.
Raleigh (City of Oaks)
- Large sprawl city, lots of unique neighborhoods and historic areas.
- Inside the beltline = closest to city center, and most expensive too. You’ll find adorable little bungalows here that while put you at the heart of it, won’t afford you much space for nearly half a mil.
- Outside the beltline= more suburban options, less expensive (or at least, more space for your money.) Home to Sola Coffee, which in and of itself could be reason to live there, let’s be honest.
- Thriving downtown scene: lots of awesome food, bars, art and museums and loads of new luxury apartment buildings. Home to Ashley Christensen’s empire. Which if you don’t know, includes the best goddamn macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, and oysters you’ve ever had.
- Has the most “southern” feel of the Triangle, IMO.
- Home to NC State campus and its badass library complete with bookBot.
- Home to the State Farmer’s Market, the State Fair, Red Hat Amphitheater, PNC Arena (home to the Carolina Hurricanes), NCMA , Pullen Park and a place called Cowfish Sushi and Burger Bar, because burgushi is a thing and it’s damn good.
Durham (or Durm, if you’re nasty)
- Undergoing the most growth and revitalization. Imagine DUMBO 10 years ago. Or Williamsburg, fifteen.
- Hipsters have arrived, which means you should buy real estate now, before it gets too pricey. (Actually, it’s already getting pricey, sorry, that ship has sailed.)
- Edgy vibe exists in food, culture, nightlife… everywhere you turn there seems to be something new and cool poppin’ off.
- Downtown now boasts 3 unique boutique hotels (all new within last 2 years) — 21 C Hotel, The Durham, and most recently, Unscripted — plus all sorts of new apartment and condo buildings are springing up as well.
- Home to Duke University, Durham Bulls baseball stadium, Ponysaurus Brewery, Sarah Duke Gardens, M Sushi, Vert & Vogue, Mateo , Museum of Life and Science (I could literally go on and on).
- Public schools don’t have the best reputation but there’s a lot in the works to improve on them (if we can keep Betsy DeVos out of it.)
Chapel Hill
- Charming, historic college-town vibe.
- Smallest downtown area of the three, but flanked by Carrboro and Pittsboro, which gives it more depth.
- Highest real estate taxes in the Triangle (1.3% compared with Cary’s 0.85%… still a hell of a lot cheaper than say, Scarsdale, New York).
- Home to UNC Chapel Hill, Carolina Inn, Morehead Planetarium, Lantern restaurant, The Crunkleton, and TOPO Distillery.
- Intellectual vibe runs deep — lots of professors and doctors choose to live here to be close to the Universities, Hospitals and Research centers.
- Schools/students here are known for being uber-competitive.
Cary (AKA Containment Area for Relocated Yankees)
- It doesn’t get more ‘burbs than this.
- Very well managed/run town (with amazing landscaping on public roadways and parks), but sprawl is occurring at a breakneck rate.
- Home prices on the rise, and rise, and rise (mostly because of transplants who command it) and lots are getting smaller as greedy builders try to smush as many houses as possible into their neighborhoods.
- Great (albeit overcrowded) schools — they’re building more schools to ease overcrowding, but the home-builders aren’t slowing down, so it’s going to be an ongoing rat race.
- Conveniently located in the center of the Triangle, making for easy access to RTP, RDU, Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill.
- Light on its overall ‘cultural personality,’ but evolving (i.e. lots of chain restaurants, less mom-and-pops, but changing rapidly to satisfy demand)
- Reasonably diverse in community makeup (large Indian and Asian population… super large Northeast transplant population)
- Grocery store capital of the world (we have it all — Publix, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Lowes, Harris Teeter, Aldi, Fresh Market, Earth Fare, H-Mart, and a Wegman’s on the way!)
- Growing (albeit small) proper downtown, now featuring a large new park, a boutique hotel, some breweries, shops, etc…
- Home to La Farm bakery, The Umstead Hotel, SAS headquarters, Andia’s Ice Cream and Koka Booth Amphitheater.
Wake Forest
- It’s far(ish) — north of Raleigh.
- Best bang for your buck real estate wise… you’ll get large lots here if acreage is what you’re after.
- Small-town feel.
- Can you tell I don’t know a heck of a lot about Wake Forest? Yet…
Apex
- Charming downtown — has that Americana Main St vibe with a cute bookstore, cultural arts center, restaurants, ice cream parlor and yoga studios.
- It’s tagline is “the Peak of Living”
- Good schools
- Cheaper than Cary (for now)
Got questions? Want to know what it’s like moving from NYC to NC? Just ask. I may or may not have answers.
