9 things to know before moving to the Triangle

Thinking about moving to the Raleigh-Durham area? The Triangle is a wonderful place to call home on so many levels. Raleigh-Durham is highly educated, youthful, and friendly. And there are so many reasons you’ll love calling it your home.

Yet when it comes to really understanding all there is to know about this area, there are a few places you’ll want to start before you jump in. Here are the 9 things you should know before you get here.

There’s a good reason Raleigh-Durham is known by the name “The Triangle.” It’s because the region is home to prestigious research institutions that make a literal triangle on a map: Raleigh’s North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Duke University in Durham. These universities are known for the renowned academics and cutting-edge research they have to offer. What’s more, Raleigh-Durham is also home to private schools, technical colleges, and even one of the leading Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) in the nation.

Thanks to the universities that bring top talent and research to the region, the Triangle is known for bringing outstanding jobs, too. At the heart of it all is the Research Triangle Park, or RTP, which is a 7,000-acre research and innovation center. Since it was established in 1959, it’s been a continuous draw for major tech and healthcare companies. As companies like Apple, Google, Red Hat, IBM, Microsoft, and more continue to be drawn to the Triangle, the region brings high-end tech jobs to North Carolina. In other words, there’s a reason it’s known as Silicon Valley of the East Coast, which means it’s a great place for job seekers.

Those universities bring more than jobs and talent. They also bring incredible healthcare to the region. Duke Health and the University of North Carolina Medical Center are world-renowned medical centers that will keep you thriving. The Duke University Health System is consistently ranked one of the top systems in the United States and has nationally ranked specialties, like cancer, heart surgery, diabetes, orthopedics, and more. Similarly, UNC Health is one of 40 prestigious National Cancer Institute-designated centers in the U.S., and it has national recognition for many of its patient care services.

If you’re into art, music, museums, or history, you’ll love what the Triangle has to offer. Raleigh offers performing arts like the North Carolina Symphony, the North Carolina Theatre, the North Carolina Opera, and the Carolina Ballet. And with major universities across the region, there are numerous art galleries, auditoriums, theaters, and more where you can grab the latest performance or show. And because the Triangle has a global draw, you can find pow wows, an India festival, African American and Juneteeth celebrations, children’s cultural festivals, and even Jewish and even the North Carlina Chinese Lantern Festival.

Are you either a beach bum or a ski bum? Or maybe both? Then you’ll love living in the Triangle, which is just a couple of hours from both the coast and the mountains. Raleigh-Durham is just a couple of hours to the closest beach, and other phenomenal beaches are close by, too. And if you’re ready for a gorgeous getaway in the mountains, locations like Asheville and Boone are close enough for a weekend trip. Whether you’re looking for traditional family vacations, a fun couple’s trip, or something in-between, you’re sure to find what fits in close proximity to the Triangle.

Raleigh-Durham is known for its mild winters and hot, southern summers, which makes that proximity to the beaches and mountains so much better. United State Climate Data shows that Raleigh-Durham weather ranges from the low 60s to the low 30s throughout the winter, and the upper 60s to high 80s during the summers. It’s a great opportunity to consider installing a swimming pool for the long summers, and if you’re a fan of winters, you may want to head to the mountains for the snow and cold.

Living in the Triangle is a culinary treat thanks to its southern roots and global draw. The region is filled with James Beard Award-winning and -nominated chefs whose restaurants are making names for themselves across the culinary world. Raleigh-Durham has a great blend of regional favorites, like Carolina barbecue, chicken and waffles, and shrimp and grits. Yet you’ll also find sushi spots, vegan restaurants, breweries, and food halls that pack numerous flavors into one convenient place.  

There’s nothing like being a sports fan in the Triangle. That’s because the area truly has it all, including the top-ranked basketball schools — once again, Duke, the North Carolina, and NC State, who reign supreme as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Hockey is huge in the Carolinas thanks to the Carolina Hurricanes. And there’s also everything from professional men and women’s soccer to Minor League Baseball teams.

One of the most important things to know is that the Triangle is growing significantly each day. And as the Triangle expands, it is spreading into the rural areas outside of the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas. As this growth happens, local leaders are also working to beef up transportation across the Triangle to allow for easier commutes and connectivity between cities. That means even with the population boom, things will only get better in the coming years as more people focus on making the Triangle their home.

The Raleigh-Durham area is highly appealing on many levels. No matter why you’re choosing to call the Triangle your home, you’re going to love it here.

The Jim Allen Group provides access to information on this blog/website as a public service for educational purposes only. Although reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all of the information made available is current, accurate, and complete…[read more]