Are you moving to Raleigh, North Carolina? Do you know someone moving to Raleigh? If so, prepare to be pleasantly surprised with this quaint city that is centrally located, has pleasant weather and nature, and the benefits of living in a metropolitan area with a small-town feel. Raleigh has an average age of 31 years old and a median household income of $48,000.
Raleigh is known as the “City of Oaks” and is the capital of North Carolina. Resting between Wake County and a part of Durham County, Raleigh is the second largest city in NC after Charlotte, with 380,000 people. The city is the 15th fastest growing city in the U.S. with a 40% and 100,000 resident increase since 2000. The city was established in 1792 for Sir Walter Raleigh and was built specifically to be the state capital.
Raleigh, and the state of North Carolina in general, experience a very moderate climate. There are agreeably warm summers and moderate winters, with both snow-covered mountains and beaches within traveling distance. Raleigh is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina three hours west of the Atlantic beach and four hours east of the Appalachian range and Great Smoky Mountains. Raleigh experiences its rainy months from January to March and its dry months in April and November.
Raleigh is safe, clean, and has the advantages of big-city living without the anxiety. There are many retirees, a low crime rate, and a booming real estate market. There is a thriving job market in industries of technology, medicine, biotech research, textile development, telecommunications, clothing and apparel, food processing, paper products, pharmaceuticals and education. Additionally, the city serves as a major retail shipping and distribution point.
The neighborhoods of Raleigh include Downtown/Old Raleigh, East Raleigh, West Raleigh, North Raleigh, Midtown Raleigh, South Raleigh, Southeast Raleigh.
Raleigh serves as a major U.S. research center with three leading universities. The city has good school systems as well as higher educational institutions including North Carolina State University, Wake Technical Community College, Meredith College, Peace College, Shaw University, St. Augustine’s College, Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, and Strayer University.
Culturally, Raleigh plays host to venues like the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek, Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Fletcher Opera Theater, Kennedy Theater and Meymandi Concert Hall. Additionally, Raleigh supports the North Carolina Symphony, the Opera Company of North Carolina, Burning Coal Theatre Company, North Carolina Theatre, Broadway Series South, the Carolina Ballet, and the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Raleigh has been home to the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes since 1997, and the team plays at the RBC Center. Neighborhood Cary, NC also hosts a United Soccer League team, the Carolina Railhawks and the area has several minor-league baseball teams.
In terms of transportation, Raleigh-Durham International Airport serves as a major hub for American Eagle Airlines. The airport handles both cargo and general aviation, with 45 domestic and international destinations daily. Raleigh’s major highways include I-40, I-440, I-540 and there are Amtrak trains daily. For the environmentally-conscious, the North Carolina Bicycle Route 2 - travels through city of Raleigh as a ‘greenway system’ for bikers.
Additionally, Raleigh is famed for its people. Raleigh residents are known to be kind and easygoing people, and the city is admired by families and individuals alike. The city has been home to such figures as President Andrew Johnson, Clay Aiken, Antwan Harris (NFL), Emily Procter (actress), Amy Sedaris, David Sedaris, Chris Wilcox (NBA), Evan Rachel Wood (actress), Jeff Hardy (WWE), Ron Francis (NHL), Chuck Nevitt (NBA), Kristi Yamaguchi, Ryan Adams, former Senator John Edwards, and Olympic athlete Marion Jones.
In the media, Raleigh has been named “One of the Five Best Places to Balance Work and Family Life” by Fortune magazine, “One of the Five Best Places to Raise Kids in America by Child Magazine, “One of the Ten Best Places for Twentysomethings to Live”, and as one of “50 Fabulous Places to Retire”.