Over-hyped, Overrated Relocation Destination
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3/21/2019
Saving up to move out! Status 5 years.
Sum: Didn't take long to see it all. Southern charm left, slabbed with northeasterners moving in. Cost of living is rapidly on the rise and Durham is in a gentrification crisis.
Housing: The area is a bubble, all in it has sky rocketed. Prices for homes increased 100k in just three years. Build quality is shotty for value.
Schools: I hate to say this, but, they are deplorable. Sending a kid to private cost around 22k yr and its a lottery.
Crime: Downtown is risky at night. Violent crime has not gone down. Personally, my home has been broken into and my vehicle have been vandalized three times. Lots of aggressive pan handlers downtown. My out of town guest didn't get a safe impression. The vibes don't get better, pan handlers are always holding a sign outside traffic lights and major retail.
Traffic: Worse every day. Getting on 40 and 85 is like playing Russian roulette. I gave up honking, afraid I get a dead battery. Roads are bumpy for the south and they do lots of roadwork. Watch out for nails and screws with all the construction (averaging two damaged tires a year). Parking is limited and tight.
Mass Transit: No experience, I've heard bus rides take long time. The rail project that will line developers pockets will never be built(.)
Jobs: It's been claimed that the market in the triangle is very attractive. I disagree. The triangle has a high volume of transients moving in and out.
People/Culture: Lot of diversity. Good bit of it is college students, families, and the downtown growing 30 year old scene.
Food: Over-hyped, same variety as most cities. Lot of new mediocre restaurants pushing hop craft beer and hard cider, the standard new restaurant/brewery starter pack. Food truck scene is big, however, can cost 15-20$. To put it this way, I don't have a favorite all time or best place to eat in this town to speak of.
Parks: To see a nice park you need to travel outside the city. They also get crowded on nice days.
Entertainment: Basketball's a huge deal, good performing arts, AAA baseball and NHL hockey.
Lastly, this really isn't about Durham but, I hear so many people say its location is great because its between the beach and mountains. These destinations have now become very costly with the northerner migration demand in the state and its a long trek 3.5 - 4hrs on terrifying hwys. I can fly out west or visit the Caribbean for less.
Michael | Durham, NC