Nothin’ Could Be Finer: Raleigh/Durham Named 2nd Best Place to Live in US

RALEIGH – After a year plus of the pandemic pivot, it would make sense that people’s priorities have shifted. That manifests, especially, in where they want to live and why.

Whether fleeing big cities with an abundance of violence and a dearth of law enforcement; escaping the most draconian COVID restriction regimes; or, searching for an area of where quality of life and long term growth actually have a positive trajectory — the Triangle of North Carolina proves quite attractive in a post-COVID world.

So attractive the US News & World Report ranks Raleigh/Durham as the second bet place to live in the entire nation:

“Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are known for their research/technology roots and collegiate rivalries. This tri-city region (known as the Triangle) is luring new residents every day with strong job growth and a high quality of life. 

Many people who call the Raleigh and Durham metro areas home are young, friendly, diverse and educated. They enjoy dining out in local restaurants – many of which have earned national accolades – and gathering over craft beers in one of the region’s many microbreweries. A strong sense of community is evident, as strangers are quick to provide a friendly conversation when standing in line at the supermarket.

Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill also encompass beautiful green spaces, family-friendly museums and a growing art and music scene defined by monthly gallery walks, summer concerts and music festivals like Hopscotch. 

See all the best places to live in North Carolina.

Because Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, thousands of people in the area work for the state government.

Raleigh and Durham present a high number of research, education, health care and information technology opportunities. Employers in the area include IBM Corporation, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, SAS Institute Inc., and Cisco Systems Inc.

The 7,000-acre Research Triangle Park (RTP) provides nearly 40,000 residents with employment at more than 200 companies. RTP is affiliated with the region’s three universities – Duke University, the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University – and is home to notable institutions like the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. RTP is credited with fueling roughly 1,800 startups since the 1970s.”

The growth in the Triangle, and North Carolina at large, is owed in major part to the steady fiscal approach of low taxes and conservative spending implemented by a decade of Republican leadership in the legislature. The commentary doesn’t necessarily allude to this ‘why’ factor, but it’s clear that such policies aid in attracting so many young professionals, families, and businesses to the area. We live in a beautiful state, but it’s the industriousness of our people, and the ability to appreciate the rewards of such, that have cultivated such a desirable place to live.

So, who beat out Raleigh/Durham? Read the full list here.