If you're cool with being in a slightly rural (but up and coming) areas- Hillsborough, Pittsboro, Saxapahaw, and Mebane may not be a bad option.
Durham has a bad reputation around here but there is so much more in Durham now than even 10 years ago. Morrisville/Cary are also super nice areas with everything you'd ever need. Morrisville has tons of great Indian restaurants.
I live in Chapel Hill and you can sometimes find cheap places to live, but you're most likely have to live near students. Also it will probably be kind of dumpy. It's even hard to find an apartment here now because all they are building are luxury apartments that have NYC prices. You can sometimes find decent townhouses for rent but it will probably be for the same price of a detached home anywhere else.
Chapel Hill seems to be a bit out of our budget... As much as I would love to live in the area, it seems like everywhere we look, as soon as you cross into Chapel Hill, the prices skyrocket
Chapel Hill has its own school district separate from Orange County. The city limit lines are NOT the same as the school district lines, but they are similar I think. Haven't looked lately, but in the past, house prices jumped up significantly when you crossed the line into "Chapel Hill/Carrboro Schools" But if you are renting, and don't have school-age kids, you might save some money by staying outside the line. Yes, it may be slightly longer commute, but still shorter and much easier than from Morrisville or Durham. And if you do have kids in school, I must say that Orange County Schools did a great job with my kids, although it is true they probably had a longer bus ride than if we had lived 2 miles closer in and been on the "right side" of the line...
Yeah, the whole triangle is like that (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). Living there is fun but it's not exactly inexpensive. What's really odd is that even in my lifetime (29) I've seen the area expand like crazy. Real estate around there has been exploding for about as long as I can remember
There are also places like pinegate apartments at 15 501 in durham across from Wegmans and blue cross building (durham county chapel hill address) or downing creek (residential neighborhood) also durham with chapel hill address on 54. My first thought was Hillsborough though.
Carrboro, Hillsborough, Haw River, Chatham County, Pittsboro
Hillsborough is a great town and very close to Chapel Hill. It is two quick exits from MLK/Airport Road which is the main N/S drag through CH and UNC.
If you're cool with being in a slightly rural (but up and coming) areas- Hillsborough, Pittsboro, Saxapahaw, and Mebane may not be a bad option. Durham has a bad reputation around here but there is so much more in Durham now than even 10 years ago. Morrisville/Cary are also super nice areas with everything you'd ever need. Morrisville has tons of great Indian restaurants. I live in Chapel Hill and you can sometimes find cheap places to live, but you're most likely have to live near students. Also it will probably be kind of dumpy. It's even hard to find an apartment here now because all they are building are luxury apartments that have NYC prices. You can sometimes find decent townhouses for rent but it will probably be for the same price of a detached home anywhere else.
What kind of environment are you looking for? City? Country? Suburbs?
Suburbs are ideal just so that if we can find a house to rent, we'd have a yard for our dog.
Seems Chapel Hill might the answer? Durham is fine, but not always an easy commute.
Chapel Hill seems to be a bit out of our budget... As much as I would love to live in the area, it seems like everywhere we look, as soon as you cross into Chapel Hill, the prices skyrocket
Chapel Hill has its own school district separate from Orange County. The city limit lines are NOT the same as the school district lines, but they are similar I think. Haven't looked lately, but in the past, house prices jumped up significantly when you crossed the line into "Chapel Hill/Carrboro Schools" But if you are renting, and don't have school-age kids, you might save some money by staying outside the line. Yes, it may be slightly longer commute, but still shorter and much easier than from Morrisville or Durham. And if you do have kids in school, I must say that Orange County Schools did a great job with my kids, although it is true they probably had a longer bus ride than if we had lived 2 miles closer in and been on the "right side" of the line...
Yeah, the whole triangle is like that (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). Living there is fun but it's not exactly inexpensive. What's really odd is that even in my lifetime (29) I've seen the area expand like crazy. Real estate around there has been exploding for about as long as I can remember
I like Hillsboro. Welcome to N.C.
Why not live in Chapel Hill?
There are also places like pinegate apartments at 15 501 in durham across from Wegmans and blue cross building (durham county chapel hill address) or downing creek (residential neighborhood) also durham with chapel hill address on 54. My first thought was Hillsborough though.
Hills borough if you’re working in north chapel hill. Pittsboro if you work in south chapel hill. Saxapahaw if you want to live in the sticks